Workplace Sexual Harassment in Waged Agricultural Employment: A Literature Review.

Workplace sexual harassment (WSH) is a systemic problem in agricultural employment. In the United States, where most research on the topic has been conducted, studies have suggested the rate of WSH against women farmworkers may be as high as 95%. Women who are immigrants, younger, have precarious immigration status, and come from indigenous communities are particularly vulnerable to WSH. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the factors that contribute to such high rates of WSH in waged employment in the agricultural sector. To achieve this, we completed a systematic review of the empirical literature on sexual harassment in agricultural workplaces. Our review includes 29 empirical studies on WSH in agriculture, including 13 studies conducted in countries within the Global North and 16 from the Global South. The paper presents a typology of WSH in agriculture, categorizing its emotional and physical forms and describing what the literature reveals about its impacts on those who experience it. We then present our analysis of the structural and cultural factors contributing to high WSH rates in waged agricultural employment. We found that migration policies, the organizational and physical characteristics of agricultural work, the informality of employment relationships, traditional masculinity norms, and weak enforcement of workplace regulations were the principal factors facilitating high rates of WSH in agriculture. However, the study has limitations: it primarily focuses on literature in English and Spanish, risking geographical bias towards the Americas and potentially overlooking significant research in other languages or published in less accessible databases, including grey literature and regional reports. These limitations highlight the need for broader research to fill these empirical gaps, particularly from the Global South.

Systemic and local antiinflammatory effect of magnesium chloride in experimental arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Despite some knowledge gaps in scientific evidence, MgCl2 is largely used for pain relief in musculoskeletal diseases. Mg salts were shown to provide analgesia postoperatively in orthopedic surgery and low Mg levels were linked to arthritis development and severity. We determined the anti-inflammatory activity of MgCl2 in an acute arthritis model. METHODS: Mice received 0.1 mg/25µL Zymosan (Zy) or saline into the knees. Joint pain was evaluated using von Frey test; cell influx, and interleukin (IL)-1 level were assessed in joint lavage at 6 h. Synovia were excised for histopathology and analysis of immunoexpression of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Groups (n = 6/group) received either 90 mg/kg MgCl2/100 µL or saline per os (systemic) or 500 µg/25 µL MgCl2 or saline intra-articularly (i.a.) 30 min prior to Zy. RESULTS: MgCl2 given either systemically or locally significantly reduced cell influx (p = 0.0012 and p = 0.0269, respectively), pain (p = 0.0005 and p = 0.0038, respectively), and intra-articular IL-1 level (p = 0.0391), as compared to saline. Systemic MgCl2 significantly decreased NFκB (p < 0.05) immmunoexpression, as compared to saline. CONCLUSION: MgCl2 given systemically or locally displayed anti-inflammatory activity in a severe acute arthritis model reducing cell influx, pain, and cytokine release. MgCl2 operates at least partially via inhibiting NFκB activation. This is the first in vivo demonstration that MgCl2 decreases cytokine release in arthritis, prompting reduction of inflammation and pain relief.

Having chronic back pain did not impact COVID-19 outcome in a low-income population - a retrospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic back pain (CBP) is a major cause of years lived with disability. Social inequalities increase the prevalence and burden of CBP. Management of CBP was affected by restricted access to non-pharmacological treatments and outdoor activities during COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of CBP among patients with COVID-19 as well as the impact of having CBP in COVID-19 outcome in our low-income population. METHODS: Retrospective cohort of individuals with confirmed COVID diagnosis from May 2020 - March 2021, at Hospital Regional UNIMED (HRU) in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data included comorbidities and household income. RESULTS: Among 1,487 patients, 600 (40.3%) were classified as having CBP. Mean age as well as income were similar in CBP and non-CBP groups, with more women in the CBP group. Hypertension and asthma, but not diabetes, were more prevalent in those with CBP. Need for emergency care, hospitalization, and admission to intensive care unit were similar regardless of having CBP. Dyspnea was more common in CBP vs. non-CBP groups, with 48.8% vs. 39.4% percentages, respectively (p = 0.0004). CONCLUSION: Having CBP prior to COVID did not impact the acute clinical outcome of COVID individuals of a low-income population.

Outcome of reverse shoulder arthroplasty secondary to rotator cuff arthropathy in a low-income population.

BACKGROUND: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a valuable treatment for rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) in developed regions. Socioeconomic issues impact access to specialized care and there is a lack of data on RSA outcomes in developing regions. We present our 24-month follow-up on RSA surgeries to treat RCA in our low-income population. METHODS: Prospective evaluation of 26 patients subjected to RSA at Hospital Geral de Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, between January 2018 and December 2020. Literacy [>/≤ 8 school years(SY)] and income were documented. Outcomes considered pain (visual analogue scale; VAS) as well as SSV, SPADI, ASES, and UCLA scoring, and range of motion [forward flexion (FF); external rotation (ER)]. RESULTS: Patients were 68.5 ± 7.6 years-old with 16(61.5%) females; 65% had hypertension and 7 (26.9%) had diabetes. Over 90% declared < 900.00 US$ monthly family earnings and 10 (38.4%) patients declared ≤8 SY with > 80% exerting blue-collar jobs. Pain showed a significant reduction from baseline (8 ± 2) to 24 months (2.1 ± 2.3; p < 0.001). UCLA (10.3 ± 5.6 and 28.6 ± 7.2), ASES (16.7 ± 10.8 and 63.1 ± 28.4), SSV (326 ± 311 and 760 ± 234), and SPADI (98.3 ± 26.5) scores significantly improved from baseline to 24 months, achieving minimal clinically important difference. FF (89.2° ± 51.2° to 140.6 ± 38.3°) and ER (19.2° ± 22.5 to 33.4° ± 20.6°) significantly improved from baseline to 24 months (p = 0.004 and 0.027, respectively). There were 5 non-serious adverse events with one surgical revision. All patients returned to daily life activities. CONCLUSION: This is the first outcome report 2 years following RSA in a low-income population. Data indicate this procedure is justifiable regardless of socioeconomic issues.

Photobiomodulation therapy (red/NIR LEDs) reduced the length of stay in intensive care unit and improved muscle function: A randomized, triple-blind, and sham-controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been widely used to improve strength, fatigue resistance and increase muscle mass in healthy individuals. These effects could help critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) who show reduced mobility and muscle strength. ICU-acquired weakness lessens overall health and increases the patient's length of stay in the ICU. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effects of PBMT using low intensity light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the mobility and muscle strength (functional capacity) and length of stay of patients admitted to hospital ICU. METHODS: This randomized, triple-blind, sham-controlled trial was conducted in a hospital ICU. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to two equal groups: (a) PBMT and (b) Sham. PBMT was applied daily to patients until their discharge from the ICU, using a flexible neoprene array of 264 LEDs (120 at 635 nm, 1.2 mW each; 144 at 880 nm, 15 mW each) for 90s (207.36 Joules) at each site. Ten sites were located bilaterally on the thighs, legs, arms, and forearms ventrally and dorsally, 15 min totaling 2,073.6 Joules per session. Outcomes were length of stay (in h) until discharge from the ICU, muscle strength by the Medical Research Council (MRC) score and handgrip dynamometry (HGD), patient mobility by Intensive Care Unit Mobility Scale (IMS) and the Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 (SAPS 3) for predicting mortality of patients admitted to the ICU. RESULTS: PBMT reduced the average length of stay in the ICU by ~30% (p = 0.028); increased mobility (IMS: 255% vs. 110% p = 0.007), increased muscle strength (MRC: 12% vs. -9% p = 0.001) and HGD (34% vs. -13% p < 0.001), and the SAPS3 score was similar (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that daily PBMT can reduce the length of stay of ICU patients and increase muscle strength and mobility.

Systemic and local antiinflammatory effect of magnesium chloride in experimental arthritis

Abstract Objective Despite some knowledge gaps in scientific evidence, MgCl2 is largely used for pain relief in musculoskeletal diseases. Mg salts were shown to provide analgesia postoperatively in orthopedic surgery and low Mg levels were linked to arthritis development and severity. We determined the anti-inflammatory activity of MgCl2 in an acute arthritis model. Methods Mice received 0.1 mg/25μL Zymosan (Zy) or saline into the knees. Joint pain was evaluated using von Frey test; cell influx, and interleukin (IL)-1 level were assessed in joint lavage at 6 h. Synovia were excised for histopathology and analysis of immunoexpression of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Groups (n = 6/group) received either 90 mg/kg MgCl2/100 μL or saline per os (systemic) or 500 μg/25 μL MgCl2 or saline intra-articularly (i.a.) 30 min prior to Zy. Results MgCl2 given either systemically or locally significantly reduced cell influx (p = 0.0012 and p = 0.0269, respectively), pain (p = 0.0005 and p = 0.0038, respectively), and intra-articular IL-1 level (p = 0.0391), as compared to saline. Systemic MgCl2 significantly decreased NFκB (p < 0.05) immmunoexpression, as compared to saline. Conclusion MgCl2 given systemically or locally displayed anti-inflammatory activity in a severe acute arthritis model reducing cell influx, pain, and cytokine release. MgCl2 operates at least partially via inhibiting NFκB activation. This is the first in vivo demonstration that MgCl2 decreases cytokine release in arthritis, prompting reduction of inflammation and pain relief.

Having chronic back pain did not impact COVID-19 outcome in a low-income population - a retrospective observational study

Abstract Introduction Chronic back pain (CBP) is a major cause of years lived with disability. Social inequalities increase the prevalence and burden of CBP. Management of CBP was affected by restricted access to non-pharmacological treatments and outdoor activities during COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives To determine the prevalence of CBP among patients with COVID-19 as well as the impact of having CBP in COVID-19 outcome in our low-income population. Methods Retrospective cohort of individuals with confirmed COVID diagnosis from May 2020 - March 2021, at Hospital Regional UNIMED (HRU) in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data included comorbidities and household income. Results Among 1,487 patients, 600 (40.3%) were classified as having CBP. Mean age as well as income were similar in CBP and non-CBP groups, with more women in the CBP group. Hypertension and asthma, but not diabetes, were more prevalent in those with CBP. Need for emergency care, hospitalization, and admission to intensive care unit were similar regardless of having CBP. Dyspnea was more common in CBP vs. non-CBP groups, with 48.8% vs. 39.4% percentages, respectively (p = 0.0004). Conclusion Having CBP prior to COVID did not impact the acute clinical outcome of COVID individuals of a low- income population.

Identifying sustainability priorities among value chain actors in artisanal common octopus fisheries.

The United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science highlights a need to improve the way in which scientific results effectively inform action and policies regarding the ocean. Our research contributes to achieving this goal by identifying practical actions, barriers, stakeholder contributions and resources required to increase the sustainability of activities carried out in the context of artisanal fisheries to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) Global Action Plan (GAP) Pillar targets. We conducted a novel 'social value chain analysis' via a participatory workshop to elicit perspectives of value chain actors and fisheries stakeholders associated with two Spanish artisanal common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) fisheries (western Asturias-Marine Stewardship Council [MSC] certified, and Galicia-non-MSC certified) about their priorities regarding sustainable octopus production and commercialization. Our adapted Rapfish sustainability framework emphasised the importance of economic, environmental, ethical, institutional, social, and technological indicators to different actors across the value chain. We mapped participants' shared sustainability priorities (e.g. integrated fisheries management, knowledge-based management, product traceability) to six Rapfish indicators, seven IYAFA Pillars and twelve SDGs to reveal how our results can inform ocean policy and actions. This identified how certification incentives and other cooperative approaches can facilitate environmental, economic and social sustainability (e.g. value-added products, price premiums for producers, gender inclusive organisations); support IYAFA priority outcomes (raised awareness, strengthened science-policy interface, empowered stakeholders, partnerships); and help to achieve UN SDG targets (e.g. SDG 14.b, SDG 17.17). The results can inform actors, stakeholders and policymakers about how different actors contribute to efforts to achieve the SDGs and how to manage priorities for sustainable actions within artisanal fisheries and their value chains. We recommend inclusive and equitable participatory knowledge transfer and governance platforms as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science and beyond where participants can create theories of change towards sustainability involving the development of multi-sectoral ocean policies framed at the level of the value chain and supported by appropriate governance structures. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11160-023-09768-5.

Seasonality of sporotrichosis in Brazil: A modelled analysis of the epidemic in São Paulo, 2011-2020.

BACKGROUND: Sporotrichosis is an endemic subcutaneous mycosis classically caused by the Sporothrix schenckii species complex. Recently, sporotrichosis has emerged in Brazil as a cat-transmitted epidemic caused by a new species, Sporothrix brasiliensis. OBJECTIVES: To survey the clinical-epidemiological profile of all sporotrichosis cases diagnosed between 2011 and 2020 at a reference hospital in São Paulo metropolitan area and evaluate the annual distribution of cases in relation to seasonality. METHODS: Patients' demographic and clinical-epidemiological data were surveyed. A generalized linear model was fitted to relate the quarterly number of sporotrichosis cases detected between 2015 and 2019 with precipitation and temperature series. Prediction of the number of cases from 2011 to 2014 was attempted based on the fitted model without the trend component that appears from 2015. RESULTS: Among 271 suspected cases admitted during 2011-2020, 254 were confirmed by fungal isolation and/or clinical-epidemiological criteria. We observed that 2015 onwards the number of cases regularly increased during Autumn and Winter, the driest and coldest stations of the year. We verified that temperature series affected the number of cases (p = .005) because an increase of 1°C in the temperature series was associated with a 14.24% decrease in the average cases number, with the average number of cases increasing by 10.96% (p < .0001) every quarter, corresponding to an annual increase of 52%. Between 2011 and 2014, the predicted number of sporotrichosis cases averaged 10-12 per year, with 33%-38% occurring in the winter. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize that sporotrichosis seasonality is associated with the felines' oestrus cycle, which may provide alternative, cat-directed approaches to the sporotrichosis epidemic control.

Assessing socioeconomic bias of exposure to urban air pollution: an autopsy-based study in São Paulo, Brazil.

Background: The characterisation of individual exposure to air pollution in urban scenarios is a challenge in environmental epidemiological studies. We investigated if the city's pollution monitoring stations over or underestimate the exposure of individuals depending on their socioeconomic conditions and daily commuting times. Methods: The amount of black carbon accumulated in the lungs of 604 deceased who underwent autopsy in São Paulo was considered as a proxy for PM10. The concentrations of PM10 in the residence of the deceased were estimated by interpolating an ordinary kriging model. These two-exposure metrics allowed us to construct an environmental exposure misclassification index ranging from -1 to 1. The association between the index and daily commuting, socioeconomic context index (GeoSES), and street density as predictors was assessed by means of a multilevel linear regression model. Findings: With a decrease of 0.1 units in GeoSES, the index increases, on average, by 0.028 units and with an increase of 1 h in daily commuting, the index increases, on average, by 0.022 units indicating that individual exposure to air pollution is underestimated in the lower GeoSES and in people with many hours spent in daily commuting. Interpretation: Reduction of health consequences of air pollution demands not only alternative fuel and more efficient mobility strategies, but also should include profound rethink of cities. Funding: São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP-13/21728-2) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq-304126/2015-2, 401825/2020-5).

A short and simple bedside test to detect cognitive fluctuations in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The establishment of cognitive fluctuations is important when dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is suspected but can be especially difficult in the absence of a caregiver who lives with the patient. We examined the possibility of using fluctuating scores on a forward (FDS) and a backward digit span (BDS) test as a marker for cognitive fluctuation. METHODS: Patients with DLB (21), other forms of dementia (14 with Alzheimer's disease, 8 with vascular dementia) and 20 controls were asked to perform an FDS and BDS twice, with an interval of 20 min. RESULTS: Seventy percent of patients with DLB showed evidence of cognitive fluctuations for at least one test, while less than 10% of controls and patients with other dementias did. Evidence of cognitive fluctuations on at least one of both tests classified 83% of patients correctly (i.e. DLB or not), with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated forward and backward digit span tests seem a valid, short, easy and inexpensive bedside tool to detect cognitive fluctuations in the diagnostic work-up of DLB, even in the absence of a caregiver, which limits the use of questionnaires.

Montelukast as a treatment for refractory cutaneous lupus: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: There are no drugs specifically approved to treat cutaneous lupus. Inflammatory cells in lupus skin lesions can produce leukotrienes (LT), which promote tissue damage. In addition to hypersensitivity reactions, LT are also associated with cardiovascular diseases and elevated serum LT levels have been linked to worse atherosclerotic disease in lupus. Targeting LT could thus be an alternative to treat lupus. We present 4 cases of cutaneous lupus successfully treated with montelukast (MLK), a Cys-LT antagonist. METHODS: Four consecutive female systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with refractory skin lesions were treated with MLK (10 mg/d) in the Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio of the Universidade Federal do Ceará. Skin lesions were scored using Revised Cutaneous LE Disease Area and Severity Index (RCLASI). Relative expression of the 5-lipoxigenase (ALOX5) and 15-lipoxigenase (ALOX15) genes was determined in peripheral blood cells (PBC) from lupus patients and 4 age-matched female controls. RESULTS: All patients experienced improvement of skin lesions measured using RCLASI scores within 2-12 weeks following initiation of MLK. The response was sustained for at least 3 months follow-up and no adverse events were recorded. ALOX5 but not ALOX15 gene expression was significantly (P = 0.0425) increased in PBC from SLE patients vs controls. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a fast and sustained successful response of cutaneous lupus to MLK. Given its acceptable safety profile, our data encourage development of a randomized trial as an attempt to reposition MLK as a safe, affordable alternative to treat cutaneous lupus.

Análise de intoxicação por medicamentos / Analysis of drug intoxication / Análisis de intoxicaciones medicamentosas

Os Centros de Assistência Toxicológica possuem uma importância relevante na promoção, prevenção e controle de agravos à saúde em casos de intoxicação, pois fornece um serviço de orientação e atendimento especializado para lidar com essas situações e para minimizar os prejuízos causados pelos agentes tóxicos. Diante disso, o objetivo do estudo foi analisar o perfil epidemiológico de intoxicações por medicamento, no período de 2017 a 2021, no estado do Ceará. Este estudo está caracterizado como epidemiológico exploratório- descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, em que serão analisados os dados secundários do registro de casos de intoxicações por medicamento, registrados no Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação, entre os anos de 2017 e 2021. Os dados foram coletados no período de março a abril de 2022. As variáveis levantadas são faixa etária, sexo, circunstâncias das intoxicações, óbito. Nas análises epidemiológicas foi feito o cálculo dos registros de intoxicação por medicamentos coletados no SINAN-TABNET. Resultados: Os resultados desse estudo no período de 2017 a 2021 permitiram a identificação do perfil de intoxicações medicamentosas no Estado do Ceará. Observamos que dentre as variáveis estudadas houve uma prevalência do sexo feminino, faixa etária entre 20-39 anos, e dentre as circunstâncias demostradas, a tentativa de suicídio apresentou dados mais alarmantes. Conclusão: Verificamos a necessidade de medidas efetivas no combate ao uso incorreto dos medicamentos, com ações sociais para conscientizar a população para o uso racional dos medicamentos e orientação para os riscos apresentados por medicamentos devido seu abuso intencional ou não intencional, e uma reavaliação do perfil das pessoas com alta prevalência de intoxicações.

The Toxicological Assistance Centers are relevant in promoting, preven- tion, and control of health aggravations in cases of poisoning, as it provides a specialized guidance and assistance service to deal with such situations and to minimize the damage caused by toxic agents. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the epidemiolog- ical profile of medication poisonings in the period from 2017 to 2021 in the state of Ceará. This study is characterized as an exploratory-descriptive epidemiological study, with a quantitative approach, in which secondary data from the record of drug poisoning cases, registered in the National System of Notifiable Diseases, registered in the years 2017 to 2021 will be analyzed. collected from March to April 2022. The variables are age group, sex, circumstances of poisoning, death. In the epidemiological analyses, the calculation of the records of intoxication by drugs collected in SINAN-TABNET was performed. Results: The results of this study in the period from 2017 to 2021 allowed the identification of the profile of drug poisoning in the State of Ceará. We observed that among the variables studied, there was a prevalence of females, the age group is 20-39 years, and among the circumstances, suicide attempt presented the most alarming data. Conclusion: We verified the need for effective measures to combat the misuse of medi- cine, with social actions to make the population aware about the rational use of medi- cines and guidance for the risks presented by medicines due to their intentional or unin- tentional abuse, and a reassessment of the profile of the people with a high prevalence of poisoning.

Los Centros de Asistencia Toxicológica son relevantes en la promoción, prevención y control de los agravamientos de la salud en casos de intoxicación, ya que proporciona un servicio especializado de orientación y asistencia para hacer frente a es- tas situaciones y minimizar los daños causados por los agentes tóxicos. Por lo tanto, el objetivo del estudio fue analizar el perfil epidemiológico de las intoxicaciones medica- mentosas en el período de 2017 a 2021 en el estado de Ceará. Este estudio se caracteriza por ser un estudio epidemiológico exploratorio-descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo, en el que se analizarán datos secundarios del registro de casos de intoxicación medicamentosa, inscritos en el Sistema Nacional de Enfermedades de Declaración Obli- gatoria, registrados en los años 2017 a 2021. recogidos de marzo a abril de 2022. Las variables son grupo de edad, sexo, circunstancias de la intoxicación, muerte. En los aná- lisis epidemiológicos se ha realizado el cálculo de los registros de intoxicaciones por drogas recogidos en SINAN-TABNET. Resultados: Los resultados de este estudio en el período de 2017 a 2021 permitieron identificar el perfil de las intoxicaciones por drogas en el Estado de Ceará. Observamos que entre las variables estudiadas, hubo una preva- lencia de fe- varones, el grupo de edad es de 20-39 años, y entre las circunstancias, el intento de suicidio pre-sentó los datos más alarmantes. Conclusiones: Verificamos la necesidad de medidas eficaces para combatir el uso indebido de medicamentos, con ac- ciones sociales de concienciación de la población sobre el uso racional de medicamentos y orientación sobre los riesgos que presentan los medicamentos por su abuso intencional o no intencional, y una reevaluación del perfil de las personas con alta prevalencia de intoxicaciones.

Controlling fluid adhesion force with electric fields.

Developing adhesives whose bond strength can be externally manipulated is a topic of considerable interest for practical and scientific purposes. In this work, we propose a method of controlling the adhesion force of a regular fluid, such as water and/or glycerol, confined between two parallel plates by applying an external electric field. Our results show the possibility of enhancing or diminishing the bond strength of the liquid sample by appropriately tuning the intensity and direction of the electric current generated by the applied electric field. Furthermore, we verify that, for a given direction of the electric current, the adhesion force can be reduced enough for the fluid to lose its adhesive properties and begin exerting a force to move apart the confining plates. In these circumstances, we obtain an analytical expression for the minimum electric current required to detach the plates without requiring the action of an external force.

Genome Report of Emergent Fish Pathogen Edwardsiella piscicida Recovered from Pseudoplatystoma corruscans in Brazil.

Edwardsiella piscicida is a Gram-negative bacteria belonging to the Hafniaceae family which affects several species of marine and freshwater fish. We present the complete genome of E. piscicida strain BEP80 recovered from the Brazilian catfish named Surubim (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans), consisting a chromosome of 3,883,256 bp and no plasmids.

Potent anti-inflammatory activity of the lectin-like domain of TNF in joints.

In view of the crucial role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in joint destruction, TNF inhibitors, including neutralizing anti-TNF antibodies and soluble TNF receptor constructs, are commonly used therapeutics for the treatment of arthropathies like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, not all patients achieve remission; moreover, there is a risk of increased susceptibility to infection with these agents. Spatially distinct from its receptor binding sites, TNF harbors a lectin-like domain, which exerts unique functions that can be mimicked by the 17 residue solnatide peptide. This domain binds to specific oligosaccharides such as N'N'-diacetylchitobiose and directly target the α subunit of the epithelial sodium channel. Solnatide was shown to have anti-inflammatory actions in acute lung injury and glomerulonephritis models. In this study, we evaluated whether the lectin-like domain of TNF can mitigate the development of immune-mediated arthritis in mice. In an antigen-induced arthritis model, solnatide reduced cell influx and release of pro-inflammatory mediators into the joints, associated with reduction in edema and tissue damage, as compared to controls indicating that TNF has anti-inflammatory effects in an acute model of joint inflammation via its lectin-like domain.

Quantitative evaluation of very early cartilage damage in experimental osteoarthritis using scanning electron microscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe parametric changes observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in very early stages in posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) models in mice. METHODS: Mice (5/group) had their knees subjected to anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT), ACLT plus meniscectomy (MNCT) or sham surgery, sacrificed after 3, 7 or 14 days, had the articular cartilage evaluated under optical microscopy using Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) parameters as well as cartilage thickness, roughness, and a damage index using SEM. RESULTS: Alterations of the cartilage under optical microscopy were not significantly relevant among groups. SEM analysis revealed reduction of femoral and tibial cartilage thickness in ACLT and MNCT groups at 7 and 14 days, with increased cartilage roughness in MNCT group as early as 3 days postsurgery, being sustained up to 14 days. Articular damage index was significantly higher at 14 days post surgery in ACLT and MNCT vs control groups. CONCLUSION: This is the first demonstration of very early quantitative changes in the cartilage of mice subjected to posttraumatic experimental OA using SEM, revealing increased roughness and thickness as early as 3 days post surgery. These changes may be used as early surrogates for later joint damage in experimental OA.