Round ligament management during minimally invasive groin hernia repair in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Female sex has been associated with worse outcomes after groin hernia repair (GHR), including a higher rate of chronic pain and recurrence. Most of the studies in GHR are performed in males, and the recommendations for females extrapolate from these studies, even though females have anatomy intricacies. The round ligament of the uterus (RLU) is associated with pelvic stabilization and plays a role in sensory function. Transection of the RLU during GHR is controversial as it can allow easier mesh placement but can favor genitourinary complications and chronic pain. As no previous meta-analysis compared preserving versus transecting the RLU during minimally invasive (MIS) GHR, we aim to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating surgical outcomes comparing the approaches. METHODS: Cochrane Central, Embase, and PubMed databases were systematically searched for studies comparing transection versus preservation of the RLU in MIS groin hernia surgeries. Outcomes assessed were operative time, bleeding, surgical site events, hospital stay, chronic pain, paresthesia, recurrence rates, and genital prolapse rates. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1. Heterogeneity was assessed with I2 statistics. A review protocol for this meta-analysis was registered at PROSPERO (CRD 42023467146). RESULTS: 1738 studies were screened. A total of six studies, comprising 1131 women, were included, of whom 652 (57.6%) had preservation of the RLU during MIS groin hernia repair. We found no statistical difference regarding chronic pain, paresthesia, recurrence rates, and postoperative complications. We found a longer operative time for the preservation group (MD 6.84 min; 95% CI 3.0-10.68; P = 0.0005; I2 = 74%). CONCLUSION: Transecting the RLU reduces the operative time during MIS GHR with no difference regarding postoperative complication rates. Although transection appears safe, further prospective randomized studies with long-term follow-up and patient-reported outcomes are necessary to define the optimal management of RLU during MIS GHR.

Spatio-temporal feature extraction in sensory electroneurographic signals.

The recording and analysis of peripheral neural signal can provide insight for various prosthetic and bioelectronics medicine applications. However, there are few studies that investigate how informative features can be extracted from population activity electroneurographic (ENG) signals. In this study, five feature extraction frameworks were implemented on sensory ENG datasets and their classification performance was compared. The datasets were collected in acute rat experiments where multi-channel nerve cuffs recorded from the sciatic nerve in response to proprioceptive stimulation of the hindlimb. A novel feature extraction framework, which incorporates spatio-temporal focus and dynamic time warping, achieved classification accuracies above 90% while keeping a low computational cost. This framework outperformed the remaining frameworks tested in this study and has improved the discrimination accuracy of the sensory signals. Thus, this study has extended the tools available to extract features from sensory population activity ENG signals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Advanced neurotechnologies: translating innovation for health and well-being'.

Lytic to temperate switching of viral communities.

Microbial viruses can control host abundances via density-dependent lytic predator-prey dynamics. Less clear is how temperate viruses, which coexist and replicate with their host, influence microbial communities. Here we show that virus-like particles are relatively less abundant at high host densities. This suggests suppressed lysis where established models predict lytic dynamics are favoured. Meta-analysis of published viral and microbial densities showed that this trend was widespread in diverse ecosystems ranging from soil to freshwater to human lungs. Experimental manipulations showed viral densities more consistent with temperate than lytic life cycles at increasing microbial abundance. An analysis of 24 coral reef viromes showed a relative increase in the abundance of hallmark genes encoded by temperate viruses with increased microbial abundance. Based on these four lines of evidence, we propose the Piggyback-the-Winner model wherein temperate dynamics become increasingly important in ecosystems with high microbial densities; thus 'more microbes, fewer viruses'.

An extensive field study reveals the circulation of new genetic variants of subtype 1a of bovine viral diarrhea virus in Uruguay.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a major pathogen worldwide, causing significant economic losses to the livestock sector. In Uruguay, BVDV seroprevalence at the farm level is >80%. In this work, 2546 serum, blood or tissue samples collected from animals suspected of being affected by BVD between 2015 and 2017 were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR and sequencing. Analysis of the BVDV genomic regions 5'UTR/Npro, Npro and E2 revealed that BVDV-1a, 1i and 2b circulate in the country, with BVDV-1a being the most prevalent subtype. Population dynamics studies revealed that BVDV-1a has been circulating in our herds since ~1990. This subtype began to spread and evolve, accumulating point mutations at a rate of 3.48 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year, acquiring specific genetic characteristics that gave rise to two local genetic lineages of BVDV-1a. These lineages are divergent from those circulating worldwide, as well as the vaccine strain currently used in Uruguay. The most notable differences between field and vaccine strains were found in the E2 glycoprotein, suggesting that the amino acid substitutions could result in failure of cross-protection/neutralization after vaccination. This is the first study that compares Uruguayan BVDV field and vaccine strains with other BVDV strains from throughout the world. The results obtained in this study will be very useful for developing a suitable immunization program for BVDV in Uruguay by identifying local field strains as candidates for vaccine development.

Ambroxol as a novel disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson's disease dementia: protocol for a single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Currently there are no disease-modifying treatments for Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD), a condition linked to aggregation of the protein α-synuclein in subcortical and cortical brain areas. One of the leading genetic risk factors for Parkinson's disease is being a carrier in the gene for ß-Glucocerebrosidase (GCase; gene name GBA1). Studies in cell culture and animal models have shown that raising the levels of GCase can decrease levels of α-synuclein. Ambroxol is a pharmacological chaperone for GCase and is able to raise the levels of GCase and could therefore be a disease-modifying treatment for PDD. The aims of this trial are to determine if Ambroxol is safe and well-tolerated by individuals with PDD and if Ambroxol affects cognitive, biochemical, and neuroimaging measures. METHODS: This is a phase II, single-centre, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial involving 75 individuals with mild to moderate PDD. Participants will be randomized into Ambroxol high-dose (1050 mg/day), low-dose (525 mg/day), or placebo treatment arms. Assessments will be undertaken at baseline, 6-months, and 12-months follow up times. Primary outcome measures will be the Alzheimer's disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog) and the ADCS Clinician's Global Impression of Change (CGIC). Secondary measures will include the Parkinson's disease Cognitive Rating Scale, Clinical Dementia Rating, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale, Purdue Pegboard, Timed Up and Go, and gait kinematics. Markers of neurodegeneration will include MRI and CSF measures. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Ambroxol will be examined through plasma levels during dose titration phase and evaluation of GCase activity in lymphocytes. DISCUSSION: If found effective and safe, Ambroxol will be one of the first disease-modifying treatments for PDD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02914366, 26 Sep 2016/retrospectively registered.

Effects of Bisphenol A on redox balance in red blood and sperm cells and spermatic quality in zebrafish Danio rerio.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a potential endocrine disruptor besides being associated with oxidative damage in several vertebrate classes. In the present study we investigated oxidative effects in erythrocytes and sperm cells as well as spermatic quality in Danio rerio exposed to 14 days at BPA concentrations of 2, 10 and 100 µg/L. Organelles structure, reactive species of oxygen (ROS) and lipoperoxidation (LPO) on erythrocytes and sperm cells were measured by flow cytometry and spermatic parameters were analyzed by the computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system. For both cell types, when compared with control BPA treatment induced a significant increase in ROS and LPO production causing the membrane fluidity disorder, loss of membrane integrity and mitochondrial functionality. Furthermore, it was found a significant increase in DNA fragmentation in erythrocytes of zebrafish BPA exposed. Regarding the spermatic quality, results showed lower sperm motility in animals exposed to BPA, and alterations on velocity parameters of spermatozoa. Thus, the present study concludes that BPA affects the oxidative balance of both cell types, and that can directly affects the reproductive success of the adult Danio rerio. The sensitivity of erythrocytes to oxidative damage induced by BPA was similar to sperm cells, indicating a potential use of blood cells as indicators of oxidative damage present in fish sperm.

Testosterone serum profile, semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions in a tropical environment.

This study was conducted to characterize the daily profile of testosterone secretion and its mean concentrations in the four seasons as well as to evaluate the semen characteristics and testicular biometry of Mangalarga Marchador stallions throughout the year in a tropical region. Three stallions were submitted to semen collections and evaluation of testicular biometry every 14 days along a year. Blood samples were collected once at the middle of each season, in a 20-min interval during 24 hr in order to evaluate the testosterone secretion profiles among seasons. Testosterone concentrations along the day were higher at the beginning of the afternoon (from 12:00 to 15:00 hr), but a circadian secretion was not clearly observed. Mean testosterone concentrations did not differ among seasons (p > .05), but a pattern of secretion along the day showed variations with higher concentrations in the afternoon during the winter. Ejaculate volume was higher during summer; however, sperm motility decreased in summer and spring. Total sperm in ejaculate, sperm morphology and testicular biometry kept constant along the year showing no differences among the seasons. The results demonstrated that in a tropical region, reproductive aspects of stallions did not show a clearly defined seasonal variation, and months of autumn and winter were not unsuitable for reproduction of the males.

Effect of cyclodextrin-loaded cholesterol conjugates on plasma membrane viability of Piau swine breed frozen/thawed spermatozoa.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cyclodextrin-loaded cholesterol conjugates addition to freezing extenders on plasma membrane viability of frozen-thawed spermatozoa of the Piau swine breed. Twenty semen samples were used from five males. The freezing extender was based on lactose-egg yolk extender, added to 2% glycerol, 3% dimethylacetamide. The addition of cyclodextrin-loaded cholesterol conjugates was performed after centrifugation, when semen was diluted with the cooling extender. Four groups were subjected to the following treatment: without addition (group 1); 1.5 mg of cyclodextrin-loaded cholesterol/120 × 10(6) sperm (group 2); 1.5 mg of cyclodextrin-loaded cholestanol/120 × 10(6) sperm (group 3); 1.5 mg of cyclodextrin-loaded desmosterol/120 × 10(6) sperm (group 4). To check post-thawing sperm quality sperm motility and sperm morphology evaluation were used. Additionally, to check sperm viability the hypoosmotic swelling test, supravital staining, and fluorescent assay were used. The mean values recorded for total sperm motility of semen immediately after thawing were 54.5 ± 5.8, 55.5 ± 5.3, 53.7 ± 6.7, and 52.5 ± 6.6% respectively for groups one to four, without difference between themselves (p > 0.05). Regarding fluorescent assay the results were 28.3 ± 13.2, 26.9 ± 12.2, 22.2 ± 11.4, and 32.0 ± 15.3% respectively for groups one to four, also without difference between groups (p > 0,05). Similarly, complementary tests for evaluating the integrity and functionality of the plasma membrane showed no difference between treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, use of cyclodextrin-loaded cholesterol conjugates added to the plasma membrane of sperm did not demonstrate any additive effect on increasing and/or maintaining sperm motility.

Long-term immune and virological response in HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: The trajectory of HIV viral load and CD4 count and the occurrence of clinical events are primary considerations in the evaluation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) success or failure, yet a large number of studies do not describe these events from the point of therapy initiation. This study aims to describe the virological and immune response to ART and factors associated with immune and virological success in outpatients from a HIV/AIDS clinic in southern Brazil from therapy initiation. METHODS: Longitudinal observational with ambidirectional data collection study with adult patients followed for at least 12 months after enrolment. Outcomes include (i) favourable immune response, defined as CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³; and (ii) virological success, defined as viral load below the limit of detection (50 copies/mL). RESULTS: The study included 332 patients, mostly men (63%), whose mean age was 40 (±10) years and with median family income of BR$ 490·00 per month (IQR: 350-875). Before starting ART, 43% of patients had indications of stable immune status (CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³); the median CD4 count was 179 cells/mm³ (IQR: 93·5, 267) and increased to 379·5 cells/mm³ (IQR: 236·5, 591·3). The proportion of patients with CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³ increased from 76% to 83%, and with undetectable viral load (UVL) increased from 51·7% to 73%. Factors associated with immune success at the end of study follow-up were as follows: female gender, pretreatment CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³, previous UVL (measured when started prospective follow-up) and treatment with three drugs compared with ≥4. Factors associated with virological success were as follows: UVL (measured when started prospective follow-up) and use of three drugs compared with ≥4. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study show that a large proportion (73%) of patients have rapid and successful immune and virological responses to ART and that factors which predict this response include starting ART early, whereas viral load is low and CD4 count is high, with fewer drugs. These results further support the ongoing need for ongoing programmes to increase early HIV testing, early linkage to and treatment with ART, and increased viral suppression.

p53 gene discriminates two ecologically divergent sister species of pine voles.

Genes with relevant roles in the differentiation of closely-related species are likely to have diverged simultaneously with the species and more accurately reproduce the species tree. The Lusitanian (Microtus lusitanicus) and Mediterranean (M. duodecimcostatus) pine voles are two recently separated sister species with fossorial lifestyles whose different ecological, physiological and morphological phenotypes reflect the better adaptation of M. duodecimcostatus to the underground habitat. Here we asked whether the differentiation of M. lusitanicus and M. duodecimcostatus involved genetic variations within the tumour suppressor p53 gene, given its role in stress-associated responses. We performed a population-genetic analysis through sequencing of exons and introns of p53 in individuals from sympatric and allopatric populations of both the species in the Iberian Peninsula in which a unidirectional introgression of mitochondrial DNA was previously observed. We were able to discriminate the two species to a large extent. We show that M. duodecimcostatus is composed of one genetically unstructured group of populations sharing a P53 protein that carries a mutation in the DNA-binding region not observed in M. lusitanicus, raising the possibility that this mutation may have been central in the evolutionary history of M. duodecimcostatus. Our results provide suggestive evidence for the involvement of a master transcription factor in the separation of M. lusitanicus and M. duodecimcostatus during Microtus radiation in the Quaternary presumably via a differential adaptive role of the novel p53 in M. duodecimcostatus.

Comparison of the effect of knee synovectomy in haemophilic patients with 153Sm- and 90Y-labelled hydroxyapatite 1 year after.

To compare the use of 740 Mbq (20 mCi) of (153) Sm and 185 Mbq (5mCi) of (90) Y, both labelling hydroxyapatite (HA), for knee synovectomy in haemophilic patients, 1 year after the intervention. Thirty three men (36 knees) were studied, divided into two groups: 1 - treatment using 740 Mbq of (153) Sm-HA: 20 knees of 18 patients, with mean age of 21.4 ± 13.3 years (ranging from 7 to 56 years) and mean Pettersson score of 5.3; 2 - treatment using 185 Mbq of (90) Y-HA: 16 knees of 15 patients, with mean age of 26.3 ± 10.3 (ranging from 7 to 51 years) and mean Pettersson score of 6.3. The following criteria were adopted for the evaluation before and 1 year after synovectomy: reduction in haemarthrosis episodes and pain using a visual analogue scale, as well as improved joint mobility. The occurrence of adverse events in the treatment was also considered. The chi-square, Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used with P ≤ 0.05 set as significant. The occurrence of haemarthrosis declined by 65.7% with the use of (153) Sm-HA and 82.6% for (90) Y-HA, with no statistical difference between the groups (P = 0.632); pain reduction was 42.5% in group 1 and 30.7% in group 2, once again with no statistical difference (P = 0.637). Improvement in joint mobility was not significant for both groups. Two cases of mild reactive synovitis were observed in group 1 and one in group 2, which cleared up without medical intervention. Although the beta energy from (90) Y is the gold standard for knee synovectomy, higher activities of (153) Sm may be used in places which have only production of this material.

HydroPaCe: understanding and predicting cross-inhibition in serine proteases through hydrophobic patch centroids.

MOTIVATION: Protein-protein interfaces contain important information about molecular recognition. The discovery of conserved patterns is essential for understanding how substrates and inhibitors are bound and for predicting molecular binding. When an inhibitor binds to different enzymes (e.g. dissimilar sequences, structures or mechanisms what we call cross-inhibition), identification of invariants is a difficult task for which traditional methods may fail. RESULTS: To clarify how cross-inhibition happens, we model the problem, propose and evaluate a methodology called HydroPaCe to detect conserved patterns. Interfaces are modeled as graphs of atomic apolar interactions and hydrophobic patches are computed and summarized by centroids (HP-centroids), and their conservation is detected. Despite sequence and structure dissimilarity, our method achieves an appropriate level of abstraction to obtain invariant properties in cross-inhibition. We show examples in which HP-centroids successfully predicted enzymes that could be inhibited by the studied inhibitors according to BRENDA database. AVAILABILITY: www.dcc.ufmg.br/~raquelcm/hydropace CONTACT: valdetemg@ufmg.br; raquelcm@dcc.ufmg.br; santoro@icb.ufmg.br SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Changes in motor activity level in individuals with frontotemporal dementia.

Changes in motor activity are common in individuals with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Yet, it remains unclear why some individuals become motorically hyperactive, while others hypoactive even in early stages of the disease. This study aimed to examine the relationship between motor activity level and (1) FTD clinical subtype, and (2) cortical thickness and subcortical volumes. Eighty-two charts were retrospectively reviewed from patients meeting consensus criteria for one of the three main clinical subtypes of FTD: probable bvFTD, semantic variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), or non-fluent variant PPA. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: (1) hyperactive, (2) hypoactive, or (3) no record of change. Hyperactivity was prevalent among bvFTD (58.5%) and semantic PPA (68.8%) subtypes while hypoactivity was less common in both subtypes (29.3% and 18.8%, respectively). The majority of patients with non-fluent PPA showed no record of change in motor activity (66.7%). The analysis of cortical thickness and subcortical volumes did not identify significant associations with motor activity levels. In conclusion, increased motor activity is highly prevalent among individuals with FTD, especially bvFTD and svPPA subtypes. These findings may inform prognosis and prediction of changes in motor activity, and allow planning for appropriate environmental and behavioural interventions. Future studies with prospective, standardized longitudinal collection of information regarding the type and level of change in motor activity, including wearable measures of actigraphy, may help to further delineate the onset and progression of abnormal motor behaviours and determine neuroanatomic associations in FTD.

Field efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae oil formulations against Rhipicephalus microplus ticks using a cattle spray race.

Rhipicephalus microplus tick is the main ectoparasite of cattle in Brazil. The exhaustive use of chemical acaricides to control this tick has favored the selection of resistant tick populations. Entomopathogenic fungi, as Metarhizium anisopliae, has been described as a potential biocontroller of ticks. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of two oil based formulations of M. anisopliae for the control of the cattle tick R. microplus under field conditions using a cattle spray race as a method of treatment. Initially, in vitro assays were carried out with an aqueous suspension of M. anisopliae, using mineral oil and/or silicon oil. A potential synergism between oils and fungus conidia for tick control was demonstrated. Additionally, the usefulness of silicon oil in order to reduce mineral oil concentration, while improving formulation efficacy was illustrated. Based on the in vitro results, two formulations were selected for use in the field trial: MaO1 (107 conidia/mL plus 5% mineral oil) and MaO2 (107 conidia/mL plus 2.5% mineral oil and 0.01% silicon oil). The adjuvants concentrations (mineral and silicon oils) were chosen since preliminary data indicate that higher concentrations caused significant mortality in adult ticks. For this, 30 naturally infested heifers were divided into three groups based on previous tick counts. The control group did not receive treatment. The selected formulations were applied on animals using a cattle spray race. Subsequently, tick load was evaluated weekly by counting. The MaO1 treatment significantly reduced the tick count only on day +21, reaching approximately 55% efficacy. On the other hand, MaO2 showed significantly lower tick counts on days +7, +14, and +21 after treatment, with weekly efficacy achieving 66%. The results showed a substantial reduction of tick infestation, up to day +28, using a novel formulation of M. anisopliae based in the mixture of two oils. Moreover, we have shown, for the first time, the feasibility of employing formulations of M. anisopliae for large-scale treatment methods, such as a cattle spray race, which in turn, may increase the use and adhesion to biological control tools among farmers.

Epidemiological and clinicopathological findings in 15 fatal outbreaks of salmonellosis in dairy calves and virulence genes in the causative Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Dublin strains.

Salmonella enterica is a major food-borne pathogen that affects cattle-rearing systems worldwide. Little information is available on the epidemiology and pathology of salmonellosis and the virulence genes (VGs) carried by Salmonella in spontaneous outbreaks in cattle. We describe epidemiological findings in 15 fatal outbreaks of salmonellosis in Uruguayan dairy farms and the age, clinical signs, and pathology in 20 affected calves. We also describe the serotypes and frequencies of 17 VGs in the causative Salmonella strains and explore their associations with epidemiological, clinical, and pathological findings. Salmonella Typhimurium and Dublin were identified in 11/15 and 4/15 outbreaks, respectively. The most frequent reason for consultation was digestive disease (8 outbreaks caused by S. Typhimurium), followed by sudden death (4 outbreaks, 3 caused by S. Dublin). Morbidity, mortality, and lethality ranged 4.8-100%, 3.8-78.9%, and 10-100%, without significant differences between serotypes. Diarrhea, the most common clinical sign (14 cases), was associated with the Typhimurium serotype (OR = 26.95), especially in ≤ 30-day-old calves with fibrinous enteritis as the main autopsy finding. The Dublin serotype affected ≥ 50-day-old calves and was associated with fibrinosuppurative splenitis (p = 0.01) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (OR = 48.95). The chances of the Dublin serotype increased significantly with age. There was low variability of VG across serotypes. The pefA gene was associated with the Typhimurium serotype (OR = 21.95), macroscopic enteritis (p = 0.03), and microscopic fibrinosuppurative splenitis (p = 0.04). Understanding the epidemiology, pathology, and virulence of S. enterica at the farm level is key to delineating prevention and control strategies to mitigate its impact on animal and human health.

Transinguinal preperitoneal (TIPP) versus Lichtenstein for inguinal hernia repair: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing postoperative outcomes in inguinal hernia repair with TIPP versus Lichtenstein technique. METHODS: Cochrane Central, Scopus, and PubMed were systematically searched for studies comparing TIPP and Lichtenstein´s technique for inguinal hernia repair. Outcomes assessed were operative time, bleeding, surgical site events, hospital stay, the Visual Analogue Pain Score, chronic pain, paresthesia rates, and recurrence. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1. Heterogeneity was assessed with I2 statistics and random-risk effect was used if I2 > 25%. RESULTS: 790 studies were screened and 44 were thoroughly reviewed. A total of nine studies, comprising 8428 patients were included, of whom 4185 (49.7%) received TIPP and 4243 (50.3%) received Lichtenstein. We found that TIPP presented less chronic pain (OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.20-0.93 P = 0.03; I2 = 84%) and paresthesia rates (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.07-0.99; P = 0.05; I2 = 63%) than Lichtenstein group. In addition, TIPP was associated with a lower VAS pain score at 14 postoperative day (MD - 0.93; 95% CI - 1.48 to - 0.39; P = 0.0007; I2 = 99%). The data showed a lower operative time with the TIPP technique (MD - 7.18; 95% CI - 12.50, - 1.87; P = 0.008; I2 = 94%). We found no statistical difference between groups regarding the other outcomes analyzed. CONCLUSION: TIPP may be a valuable technique for inguinal hernias. It was associated with lower chronic pain, and paresthesia when compared to Lichtenstein technique. Further long-term randomized studies are necessary to confirm our findings. Study registration A review protocol for this meta-analysis was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023434909).

Cold-shock domain family member YB-1 expression in endometrium and endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: The Y-box-binding protein (YB-1) is described as a potential oncogene highly expressed in tumors and associated with increased cell survival, proliferation, migration and anti-apoptotic signaling. The aim of our study was to examine the expression and role of YB-1 in human endometriosis (Eo) and its association with cell survival, proliferation and invasion. METHODS: We analyzed the gene and protein expression levels of YB-1 by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunoassays, respectively, in peritoneal macrophages, ovarian endometrioma and eutopic endometrial tissues/cells derived from women with (n= 120) and without (n= 91) Eo. We also evaluated the functional consequences of YB-1 knockdown in the Z12 Eo cell line by measuring cell proliferation [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromid cell proliferation assay], invasion (Matrigel invasion assay) and spontaneous and tumour necrosis factor (TNFα)-induced RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted chemokine) expression and apoptosis (ELISA-based assay). RESULTS: YB-1 gene and protein expression was statistically significantly higher in ovarian lesions, eutopic endometrium and peritoneal macrophages of patients with Eo in comparison with the control group. Interestingly, the strongest YB-1 expression was observed in the epithelial compartment of endometrial tissues. In the Z12 cell line, YB-1 knockdown resulted in significant cell growth inhibitory effects including reduced cell proliferation and increased rates of spontaneous and TNFα-induced apoptosis. Significantly, higher RANTES expression and decreased cell invasion in vitro were also associated with YB-1 inactivation. CONCLUSION: High YB-1 expression could have an impact on the development and progression of Eo. This study suggests the role of YB-1 as a potential therapeutic target for Eo patients.

Response to treatment with imatinib mesylate in previously treated chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients in a hospital in Brazil.

We analyzed the results of treatment with imatinib mesylate in 70 patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia who had previously been treated (with second-line or higher imatinib), many of them in a late chronic phase. The median follow-up period was 60.5 months (range 3-100 months). Our objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of treatment. The mean dose was 400 mg per day. The hematologic response rate was 92.1% at six months, while the cumulative rates of major and complete cytogenetic responses were 73.6 and 66.3%, respectively. Molecular response rate improved slowly and steadily over time, reaching 65.8% at 60 months, remaining stable for up to 96 months. The five-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 84 and 89%, respectively. Cytogenetic response by 12 months significantly correlated with overall survival (P = 0.0007) and progression-free survival (P = 0.0280). Sokal risk score did not differ significantly between subgroups. The medication was well tolerated, with only 16% of patients showing hematologic toxicity grades 3 and 4. At the end of the assessment, 57% of the patients were still on imatinib mesylate; most of those who discontinued treatment (17/30) did so because of unsatisfactory response. Treatment with imatinib mesylate in previously treated chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia induced durable responses in a high proportion of patients and was related to satisfactory long-term and event-free survival.

Practical and Simple Systems for Food Intake Studies on Phloem-Sucking Insects.

Studies of insect feeding behavior are useful in different areas of entomology such as plant resistance, biology, and insecticide efficacy. For chewing insects, this kind of technique is well established, but for sap-sucking insects, especially tiny ones such as whiteflies, aphids, and psyllids, these tests can be laborious. Manipulation is difficult and can damage the plant, affecting the results. We describe here three types of cages for tests with small insects, one for seedlings in pots, a second for larger plants or plants in the field, and a third for caging insects on part of a leaf. These cages have been useful for different types of studies in addition to feeding behavior and can facilitate research with small phytophagous sucking insects.