Obesity induces extracellular vesicle release from the endothelium as a contributor to brain damage after cerebral ischemia in rats.

OBJECTIVES: Cerebral ischemia is the most common cause of disability, the second most common cause of dementia, and the fourth most common cause of death in the developed world [Sveinsson OA, Kjartansson O, Valdimarsson EM. Heilablóðþurrð/heiladrep: Faraldsfræði, orsakir og einkenni [Cerebral ischemia/infarction - epidemiology, causes and symptoms]. Laeknabladid. 2014 May;100(5):271-9. Icelandic. doi:10.17992/lbl.2014.05.543]. Obesity has been associated with worse outcomes after ischemia in rats, triggering proinflammatory cytokine production related to the brain microvasculature. The way obesity triggers these effects remains mostly unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the cellular mechanisms of damage triggered by obesity in the context of cerebral ischemia. METHODS: We used a rat model of obesity induced by a 20% high fructose diet (HFD) and evaluated peripheral alterations in plasma (lipid and cytokine profiles). Then, we performed cerebral ischemia surgery using two-vessel occlusion (2VO) and analyzed neurological/motor performance and glial activation. Next, we treated endothelial cell line cultures with glutamate in vitro to simulate an excitotoxic environment, and we added 20% plasma from obese rats. Subsequently, we isolated EVs released from endothelial cells and treated primary cultures of astrocytes with them. RESULTS: Rats fed a HFD had an increased BMI with dyslipidemia and high levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Glia from the obese rats exhibited altered morphology, suggesting hyperreactivity related to neurological and motor deficits. Plasma from obese rats induced activation of endothelial cells, increasing proinflammatory signals and releasing more EVs. Similarly, these EVs caused an increase in NF-κB and astrocyte cytotoxicity. Together, the results suggest that obesity activates proinflammatory signals in endothelial cells, resulting in the release of EVs that simultaneously contribute to astrocyte activation.

High fructose diet-induced obesity worsens post-ischemic brain injury in the hippocampus of female rats.

Objectives: Cerebral ischemia is caused by a reduction of the blood flow in a specific area in the brain, triggering cellular cascades in the tissue that result in neuronal death. This phenomenon leads to neurological decline in patients with stroke. The extent of the injury after stroke could be related to the condition of obesity. Thus, we aim to analyze the effect of obesity induced by a high fructose diet (HFD) on the brain after cerebral ischemia in rats.Methods: We induced the obesity model in female Wistar rats with 20% fructose in water for 11 weeks. We then performed cerebral ischemia surgery (2-vessel occlusion), carried out the neurological test 6, 24 and 48 h post-ischemia and analyzed the histological markers.Results: The HFD induced an obese phenotype without insulin resistance. The obese rats exhibited worse neurological performance at 6 h post-ischemia and showed neuronal loss and astroglial and microglial immunoreactivity changes in the caudate putamen, motor cortex, amygdala and hippocampus at 48 h post-ischemia. However, the most commonly affected area was the hippocampus, where we found an increase in interleukin 1ß in the blood vessels of the dentate gyrus, a remarkable disruption of MAP-2+ dendrites, a loss of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and the presence of PHF-tau. In conclusion, a HFD induces an obese phenotype and worsens the neuronal loss, inflammation and plasticity impairment in the hippocampus after cerebral ischemia.

The influence of the correlation-covariance structure of measurement errors over uncertainties propagation in online monitoring: application to environmental indicators in SUDS.

This paper presents a methodology to assess the influence of the correlation-covariance structure of measurement errors in online monitoring over the propagation of uncertainties, applied to wet-weather environmental indicators in sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDSs). The effect of auto-correlated and heteroskedastic errors in measured time-series over the estimated probability density function (PDF) of different environmental indicators is analyzed for a wide variety of possible error structures in the data. For this purpose, multiple correlation-covariance structures are randomly generated from exploring the parametric space of a linear exponent autoregressive (LEAR) model, employing a Bayesian-based Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling technique. Significant differences tests are proposed to identify the most correlated parameters of the correlation-covariance error model with statistics of the environmental indicator PDFs. The method is applied to total suspended solids (TSS) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) time-series recorded during 13 rainfall events at the inlet and outlet of a SUDS train (stormwater settling tank-horizontal constructed wetland). In this case, results showed that the total error in the estimation of the analyzed environmental indicators is mostly explained by standard uncertainties (flattening of the PDFs) rather than bias contributions (displacement of the PDFs). The correlation-covariance model parameters related to the temporal delimitation of hydrographs/pollutographs and the intensity of the autocorrelation showed to have the strongest influence in the propagation of measurement errors (flattening/displacement of the PDFs).

Energy requirements and efficiency of energy utilization in growing dairy goats of different sexes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sex on the requirements for maintenance and efficiency of energy utilization in growing Saanen goats. A database from 7 comparative slaughter studies that included 238 Saanen goats was gathered to provide information for the development of prediction equations of energy requirements for maintenance and efficiency of energy utilization. The experimental design provided different levels of metabolizable energy intake (MEI) and empty body weight (EBW). The data were analyzed so that sex (e.g., intact males, castrated males, and females; n = 98, 80, and 60, respectively) was a fixed effect, and blocks nested in the studies and goat sex were random effects. For the development of linear and nonlinear equations, we used the MIXED and NLMIXED procedures in SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Nonlinear regression equations were developed to predict heat production (HP, kcal/kg0.75 of EBW; dependent variable) from MEI (kcal/kg0.75 of EBW; independent variable). Using the comparative slaughter technique, the net energy requirement for maintenance (NEM) was calculated as the value of HP at MEI equal to zero. Additionally, NEM was evaluated based on the degree of maturity. The metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance was calculated as the value at which HP is equal to MEI. Efficiency of ME utilization for maintenance (km) was calculated as the ratio between NEM and the metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance. Efficiency of energy utilization for growth (kg) was assumed to be the slope of the linear regression of retained energy (RE) on MEI above the maintenance stage (model intercept equal to 0). Efficiencies of RE as protein (kp) and as fat (kf) were calculated using the multiple linear regression of MEI above the maintenance (model intercept equal to 0) on RE as protein and as fat, respectively. Sex affected NEM (75.0 ± 1.76 kcal/kg0.75 of EBW for males and 63.6 ± 2.89 kcal/kg0.75 of EBW for females) and sex did not affect km (0.63). In contrast, sex no longer affected NEM when degree of maturity was considered on its estimation. The kg was different between sexes (0.31 for castrated males and females, and 0.26 for intact males), but kp (0.21) and kf (0.80) were similar between sexes. These results may be useful for improving robustness of the energy requirement recommendations for dairy goats.

Sex effects on net protein and energy requirements for growth of Saanen goats.

Requirements for growth in the different sexes remain poorly quantified in goats. The objective of this study was to develop equations for estimating net protein (NPG) and net energy (NEG) for growth in Saanen goats of different sexes from 5 to 45 kg of body weight (BW). A data set from 7 comparative slaughter studies (238 individual records) of Saanen goats was used. Allometric equations were developed to determine body protein and energy contents in the empty BW (EBW) as dependent variables and EBW as the allometric predictor. Parameter estimates were obtained using a linearized (log-transformation) expression of the allometric equations using the MIXED procedure in SAS software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). The model included the random effect of the study and the fixed effects of sex (intact male, castrated male, and female; n = 94, 73, and 71, respectively), EBW, and their interactions. Net requirements for growth were estimated as the first partial derivative of the allometric equations with respect to EBW. Additionally, net requirements for growth were evaluated based on the degree of maturity. Monte Carlo techniques were used to estimate the uncertainty of the calculated net requirement values. Sex affected allometric relationships for protein and energy in Saanen goats. The allometric equation for protein content in the EBW of intact and castrated males was log10 protein (g) = 2.221 (±0.0224) + 1.015 (±0.0165) × log10 EBW (kg). For females, the relationship was log10 protein (g) = 2.277 (±0.0288) + 0.958 (±0.0218) × log10 EBW (kg). Therefore, NPG for males was greater than for females. The allometric equation for the energy content in the EBW of intact males was log10 energy (kcal) = 2.988 (±0.0323) + 1.240 (±0.0238) × log10 EBW (kg); of castrated males, log10 energy (kcal) = 2.873 (±0.0377) + 1.359 (±0.0283) × log10 EBW (kg); and of females, log10 energy (kcal) = 2.820 (±0.0377) + 1.442 (±0.0281) × log10 EBW (kg). The NEG of castrated males was greater than that of intact males and lower than that of females. Using degree of maturity for estimating NPG and NEG, we could remove the differences between sexes. These results indicate that NPG and NEG differ among sexes in growing Saanen goats, and this difference should be accounted for by feeding systems. Including the degree of maturity as predictor cancels out those differences across sexes in protein and energy requirements.

Increased arterial stiffness is independently associated with metabolic syndrome and damage index in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated whether traditional or non-traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-related risk factors were associated with pathological arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) adjusted for patients' age and blood pressure. METHOD: CV risk factors were measured in the 46 SLE female patients studied. Activity and organ damage were assessed by the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index, respectively. Other lupus-related parameters and information concerning treatment were recorded. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by PWV calculated from pulse wave recording by Doppler, a non-invasive method to measure arterial stiffness. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent determinants of increased PWV. RESULTS: PWV was categorized as normal or pathological arterial stiffness following the reference values adjusted by age and blood pressure recently published by the European Society of Cardiology. Pathological PWV was associated with CV risk factors including homocysteine (p = 0.01), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP; p = 0.03), uric acid (p = 0.01), and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.007). With regard to SLE-specific risk factors, a significant association was found between PWV and SLICC/ACR score (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that increased PWV was independently associated with metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR) 6.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-38, p = 0.03] and SLICC/ACR score (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1-2.32, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We have found a close link between metabolic syndrome and SLICC/ACR score with increased aortic stiffness. These variables might be an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE women without clinical evidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Phlebotomine sand flies in rural Mayan communities of Southern Mexico: The heterogeneity of the ruralscape increases the entomological risk.

In the Yucatan Peninsula, tropical preserved forests harbor a high diversity of phlebotomine sand fly species, potential vectors of Leishmania. As a result, a significant risk of contracting localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL) is associated with entry into these forest ecosystems. However, with the current trajectory of land use in the region, communities now live within modified landscapes which could increase their risk of contact with vectors. In this study, we characterized the sand fly fauna and its relationship with the characteristics of peridomestic habitats in two rural communities in Yucatan characterized by contrasting records of leishmaniasis. Five human dwellings in each community were randomly selected and the peridomestic landscape was characterized (i.e., type and percentage of land use). For the collection of sand flies, CDC traps were deployed in both the intra and peridomicile. Differences in alpha and beta diversity between communities and ecotopes were estimated considering three separate groups, all species together, zoophilic species, and anthropophilic species. In total, 1, 241 sand flies represented by eight species were collected from November 2021-March 2022. Both communities registered the presence of sand flies in the intra and peridomicile, and females were more abundant than males. However, the greatest diversity of species was recorded in the peridomicile of the community with the highest composition of land uses. Our study demonstrates that the transformation of the forest around the communities favors the abundance and richness of sand flies in the peridomestic environment. We discuss the limitations and implications of our findings regarding the potential risk of the emergence of peri­rural cycles of leishmaniasis in the region.

Finite element analysis of the influence of interdigitation pattern and collagen fibers on the mechanical behavior of the midpalatal suture.

The midpalatal suture (MPS) corresponds to the tissue that joins the two maxillary bones. Understanding the mechanical behavior of this tissue is of particular interest to those patients who require orthodontic treatments such as Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME). The objective of this research was to observe the influence of interdigitation and collagen fibers on the mechanical response of MPS. To this end, a finite element analysis in two-dimensional models of the bone-suture-bone interface was performed considering the characteristics of the MPS. The geometry of the suture was modeled with 4 different levels of interdigitation: null, moderate, scalloped and fractal. The influence of collagen fibers, aligned transversely along the suture, was considered by incorporating linked structures of the bone fronts. According to the results, the factor that has the greatest impact on the magnitude and distribution of stresses is the interdigitation degree. A higher level of interdigitation produces an increase in tissue stiffness and a lower influence of collagen fibers on the mechanical response of the tissue. Therefore, this research contributes to the understanding of the MPS biomechanics by providing information that may be useful to health staff when evaluating the feasibility of procedures such as RME.

Biting rhythms and infection rates of anthropophilic sand fly species (Diptera: Phlebotominae) in sites with different land use in southern Mexico.

Could tropical forest conversion shape sand fly (Diptera: Phlebotominae) biting rhythms and Leishmania infection rates? Using a Shannon trap, we estimated the bite rate and infection prevalence among anthropophilic sand flies at sites with different land use in southern Mexico. We estimated the expected monthly infection rate of the Leishmania parasite along the gradient and generated information on the biting rhythm of sand flies in a poorly characterized cutaneous leishmaniasis endemic region. We used generalized mixed linear and mixed additives models to evaluate differences in the biting rate, nocturnal activity, and inoculation rate of female sand flies, as well as their relationship with the loss of forest cover and environmental disparities recorded throughout the study area. Our results show that the loss of forest cover influences the biting rhythm of sand fly species and the potential number of infectious bites with Leishmania, but the greatest entomological and potential epidemiological risk continues to be associated with sylvatic areas (amplification events). Despite this, we detected that the effect of forest cover (%) on the entomological exposure seems to be also dependent on the sand fly species, and that, albeit to a lesser extent, Leishmania parasite is circulating in disturbed landscapes through generalist and competent sand fly vector species. We also found that land use change did not affect the nocturnal activity, however we detected that important vector species were active most of the time. Contrary to our expectation, temperature and humidity did not shape the biting rhythm of sand fly species. We discuss the limitations and epidemiological implications of our findings regarding the risk of contracting leishmaniasis in southern Mexico.

Phase III trial of gemcitabine plus docetaxel versus capecitabine plus docetaxel with planned crossover to the alternate single agent in metastatic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Safety and efficacy of gemcitabine plus docetaxel (GD) and capecitabine plus docetaxel (CD) were compared in patients with metastatic breast cancer, where the alternate crossover monotherapy (GD→C or CD→G) was predetermined. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to 3-week cycles of either gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 plus docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 or capecitabine 1000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14 plus docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) day 1. Upon progression, patients received crossover monotherapy. Primary end point was time to progression (TtP). Secondary end points evaluated overall response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Despite over-accrual of 475 patients, the trial matured with only 324 of 385 planned TtP events due to patient discontinuations. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status was not captured in this study. More CD patients (28%) discontinued due to AEs than GD patients (18.0%, P = 0.009). TtP [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.101, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.885-1.370, P = 0.387] and OS (HR = 1.031, 95% CI 0.830-1.280, P = 0.785) were not significantly different comparing GD and CD. ORR was not statistically different (P = 0.239) comparing GD (72 of 207, 34.8%) and CD (78 of 191, 40.8%). TtP, OS, and ORR were not significantly different comparing crossover groups. GD caused greater fatigue, hepatotoxicity, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia but not febrile neutropenia; CD caused more hand-foot syndrome, gastrointestinal toxicity, and mucositis. CONCLUSIONS: GD and CD produced similar efficacy and toxicity profiles consistent with prior clinical experience.

First Report of Tomato chlorosis virus Infecting Sweet Pepper in Costa Rica.

In September 2008, a survey of whiteflies and whitefly-borne viruses was performed in 11 pepper-growing greenhouses in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica. During this survey, the vast majority of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum cv. Nataly) plants showed interveinal chlorosis, enations, necrosis, and mild upward leaf curling. Large populations of whiteflies were present and they were found to be composed only of Trialeurodes vaporariorum. Total RNA from frozen plant samples was extracted with TRI Reagent (Molecular Research Inc., Cincinnati, OH). RevertAid H Minus Reverse Transcriptase Kit (Fermentas, Hanover, MD) was used for reverse transcription of the total RNA extract, with cDNA synthesis directed using random primers. A real-time PCR assay was performed to detect Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) (genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae) using the SYBR Green PCR Master Mix (Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, CA). Three sets of primers were used to confirm the presence of ToCV in the samples: TocQ875F/TocQ998R primer set directed to a fragment of 123 bp of the HSP gene (3); ToCVp22RQF (5'-TGGATCTCACTGGTTGCTTG-3')-ToCVp22RQR (5'-TAGTGTTTCAGCGCCAACAG-3') primer pair that amplifies a 198-bp segment of the ToCV p22 gene (R. Hammond, E. Hernandez, J. Guevara, J. A. Vargas, A. Solorzano, R. Castro, N. Barboza, F. Mora, and P. Ramirez, unpublished) and the ToCVCPmRQF (5'-CATTGGTTGGGGATTACGTC-3')-ToCVCPmRQR (5'-TCTCAGCCTTGACTTGAGCA-3') primer pair designed to amplify a 170-bp portion of the ToCV CPm gene (R. Hammond, E. Hernandez, J. Guevara, J. A. Vargas, A. Solorzano, R. Castro, N. Barboza, F. Mora and P. Ramirez, unpublished). Fifteen symptomatic samples per greenhouse were tested for a total of 165 sweet pepper plants. From this total, seven samples from four different greenhouses produced amplification of PCR products with all three sets of primers. One of the seven samples showed mild chlorosis, but others were highly chlorotic with different levels of upward leaf curling. None of the other samples showed amplification with any of the primer sets; the symptoms on these plants could have been due to nutritional deficiencies or infection by viruses. Sequence analysis of the 460-bp HSP PCR products, produced using previously reported primers (3), and 150-bp fragment of the P22 revealed 100% sequence identity with a tomato isolate of ToCV from the United States (GenBank Accession No. AY903448). Because of the low number of samples infected with ToCV and the high incidence of symptoms, DNA extraction and a begomovirus PCR detection assay was performed using primer pair AV494/AC1048 (4). Negative results were obtained for all samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ToCV infecting sweet pepper plants in Costa Rica and the third one worldwide. ToCV has also been found to be infecting tomato in open field and greenhouses (1) and other weeds in greenhouses including Ruta chalepensis (Rutaceae), Phytolacca icosandra (Phytolaccaceae), Plantago major (Plantaginaceae), and Brassica sp. (Brassicaceae) (2) in the same region of Costa Rica, suggesting that it has adapted to the conditions of the area and poses an important threat to the vegetable production. References: (1) R. M. Castro et al. Plant Dis. 93:970, 2009. (2) A. Solorzano-Morales et al. Plant Dis. 95:497, 2011. (3) W. M. Wintermantel et al. Phytopathology 98:1340, 2008. (4) S. Wyatt and J. Brown. Phytopathology 86:1288, 1996.

Predicting the chemical composition of the body and the carcass of hair sheep using body parts and carcass measurements.

Determination of the chemical composition in the body and carcass of ruminants is important for both nutritional requirement studies and the meat industry. This study aimed to develop equations to predict the body and carcass chemical composition of hair sheep using the chemical composition of body parts, carcass measurements and shrunk BW as predictors. A database containing 107 individual records for castrated male hair sheep ranging from 24 to 43 kg BW was gathered from two body composition studies. The empty body, carcass and body parts were analyzed for water, ash, fat and protein contents (%). The body parts used to estimate body and carcass composition were fore leg, hind leg and 9-11th rib section. The carcass measurements used were leg length, thoracic circumference, hind circumference, hind width, thoracic width, thoracic depth and chest width. Each model performance was evaluated using a leave-one-out cross-validation. Multiple regression analysis considering the study as a random effect revealed that body parts in association with carcass measurements were significant for predicting the chemical composition in the body of castrate male sheep. However, the use of the chemical composition of hind leg produced the best models for predicting the ash and fat contents in the empty body, whereas the water and protein contents in the empty body were better predicted when using the chemical compositions of 9-11th rib section and fore leg, respectively. Multiple regression analysis also revealed that most body parts were suitable for predicting the carcass composition, except for 9-11th rib section whose chemical composition did not produce significant prediction equations for ash and protein carcass contents. The use of the chemical composition of hind leg in association with carcass measurements produced the best models for predicting the water and fat contents in the carcass, while the ash and protein contents in the carcass were better predicted when using the chemical composition of fore leg. In conclusion, precision, accuracy and goodness-of-fit of the equations drove the selection of the chemical composition of hind leg and carcass measurements in a multivariate approach, as the most suitable predictors of the chemical composition of the body and carcass of hair sheep. However, the chemical composition of fore leg may be used as well. The developed equations could improve the accuracy of the empty body and carcass composition estimations in sheep, optimizing the estimation of nutrient requirements, as well as the carcass quality evaluation for this species.

Biomechanical behavior of an alveolar graft under maxillary therapies.

Cleft lip and palate is a congenital defect that affects the oral cavity. Depending on its severity, alveolar graft surgery and maxillary orthopedic therapies must be carried out as a part of the treatment. It is widely accepted that the therapies should be performed before grafting. Nevertheless, some authors have suggested that mechanical stimuli such as those from the maxillary therapies could improve the success rate of the graft. The aim of this study is to computationally determine the effect of maxillary therapies loads on the biomechanical response of an alveolar graft with different degrees of ossification. We also explore how the transverse width of the cleft affects the graft behavior and compare results with a non-cleft skull. Results suggest that stresses increase within the graft as it ossifies and are greater if maxillary expansion therapy is applied. This has consequences in the bone remodeling processes that are necessary for the graft osseointegration. Maxillary orthopedic therapies after graft surgery could be considered as a part of the treatment since they seem to act as a positive extra stimulus that can benefit the graft.

Survival of COVID-19 with Multimorbidity Patients.

BACKGROUND: The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 abruptly disseminated in early 2020, overcoming the capacity of health systems to respond the pandemic. It was not until the vaccines were launched worldwide that an increase in survival was observed. The objectives of this study were to analyse the characteristics of survivors and their relationship with comorbidities. We had access to a database containing information on 16,747 hospitalized patients from Mexico, all infected with SARS-CoV-2, as part of a regular follow-up. The descriptive analysis looked for clusters of either success or failure. We categorized the samples into no comorbidities, or one and up to five coexisting with the infection. We performed a logistic regression test to ascertain what factors were more influential in survival. The main variable of interest was survival associated with multimorbidity factors. The database hosted information on hospitalized patients from Mexico between March 2020 through to April 2021. Categories 2 and 3 had the largest number of patients. Survival rates were higher in categories 0 (64.8%), 1 (57.5%) and 2 (51.6%). In total, 1741 (10.5%) patients were allocated to an ICU unit. Mechanical ventilators were used on 1415 patients, corresponding to 8.76%. Survival was recorded in 9575 patients, accounting for 57.2% of the sample population. Patients without comorbidities, younger people and women were more likely to survive.

[Prevalence and clinical characteristics of the IBS subtypes according to the Rome III criteria in patients from a clinical, multicentric trial. A report from the Mexican IBS Working Group]. / Prevalencia y caracterización de los subtipos de SII según los criterios de Roma III, en un estudio clínico, multicéntrico. Informe del grupo mexicano de estudio para el SII.

BACKGROUND: In Mexico the prevalence of irritable bowel síndrome (IBS) using Rome II criteria varies between 16 and 35%. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relative frequency of the IBS subtypes according to the Rome III criteria. METHODS: A multicentric study in 1677 IBS-Rome III patients that consulted private medical clinics. They all answered a structured interview by their physicians to determine the IBS subtype and to evaluate their symptoms intensity (Likert Scales). Patients self-evaluated their symptoms as well by using 10 cm visual analog scales for each one. RESULTS: Women represented 76.8% of the patients for a F:M ratio of 3.3:1. The relative frequencies of the IBS subtypes were IBS-M: 48.4%, IBS-E: 43.0%, IBS-D: 5.6% and IBS-U: 2.8% with females predominating among all. However, IBS-D included 1.7 to 2.4 times more men than any of the other subtypes. The IBS-M reported a higher frequency and intensity of halitosis and vomiting and a higher intensity of burping; while those with IBS-E reported a higher frequency and intensity of straining and the IBS-D more urgency for a bowel movement, fecal incontinence and mucous in the stools. CONCLUSIONS: In IBS-Rome III patients in Mexico, IBS-M is the most common subtype and is more commonly associated with dyspeptic symptoms while the IBS-E reported more outlet symptoms and the IBS-D fecal incontinence. There is a higher female predominance amongst all, however men are more likely to be in IBS-D.

Influence of interdigitation and expander type in the mechanical response of the midpalatal suture during maxillary expansion.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The orthopedic Maxillary Expansion (ME) procedure is used for treating the transverse maxillary deficiency. This pathology consists in a smaller transverse dimension in the maxilla and leads to malocclusion. The treatment takes advantage of the existence of the midpalatal suture (MPS), which corresponds to the junction at the palatine bones of its horizontal portions. The technique employs a device, conventionally a palatal expander attached to the posterior teeth, to separate the two maxillary bones in the MPS. The objective of this study was to analyze, using the Finite Element Method, the biomechanical behavior of the MPS when an expansion is applied. METHODS: A Computer Tomography image of the maxilla was reconstructed, the suture geometry was modeled with different interdigitation levels and types of hyrax devices. A total of 12 geometric models (three levels for interdigitation and four types of hyrax devices) were prepared and analyzed taking into account the chewing forces and the expansion displacement. For each case, maximum principal stresses on the maxilla (bone), and equivalent stresses on the expander device (stainless steel) were observed. In the MPS, maximum principal stresses and directional displacement were evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed that the interdigitation does not have an important influence on the deformation behavior of the maxilla but it affects the stress distribution. In addition, the type of expander device and anchorage have a direct relationship with the treatment effectiveness; larger deformation in the expansion direction was obtained with skeletal when compared to dental anchorage. CONCLUSIONS: A study that allows a better understanding of the oral biomechanics during the application of ME was presented. To our knowledge, it is the first study based on computational simulations that takes into account bone structures, like maxilla and part of the skull, to analyze the interdigitation influence on the MPS behavior when exposed to a ME.

Renal Alterations Induced by the Venom of Colombian Scorpion Centruroides Margaritatus.

BACKGROUND: Scorpion venom causes renal injury and affects vascular ion-channels function. Centruroides margaritatus scorpion is found in Colombia and is frequently the cause of envenomation accidents; however, its renal impact has never been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of C. margaritatus venom (CmV) on renal parameters using isolated rat kidney and renal cell culture models. METHODS: Wistar rats (n = 5, weighing 240-300 g) were first perfused with Krebs-Henseleit solution containing 6 g 100 mL-1 bovine serum albumin. After 30 minutes, the kidneys were perfused with CmV to a final concentration of 10 µgmL-1; evaluation was performed by measuring Perfusion Pressure (PP), Renal Vascular Resistance (RVR), Urinary Flow (UF), Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), and percentage of electrolyte tubular transport. Moreover, kidney histological analyses and cell cytotoxicity in renal tubule epithelial cells (MDCK) and proximal tubular cells (LLC-MK2) were assessed. RESULTS: CmV increased PP and RVR 60 min after perfusion. On the other hand, UF, GFR, and the percentages of sodium, potassium and chloride tubular transport decreased after experimental envenomation. UF dropped after 120 min, while GFR and percentage of electrolyte tubular transport diminished after 60, 90 and 120 min. CmV was not toxic to MDCK cell line but reduced the viability of LLC-MK2 cells at concentrations ranging from 6.25 to 200 µgmL-1. Histological analyses disclosed hydropic degeneration, edema, and protein deposits. Flow cytometry disclosed that cell death occurred predominantly by necrosis. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that C. margaritatus venom can trigger renal impairment, mainly in the proximal kidney tubule.

Interleukin-10 promoter polymorphisms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from the Canary Islands.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether several allelic variants in the polymorphic interleukin (IL)-10 promoter region were related with an increased risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Spanish patients from Canary Islands. Microsatellites (MS) at positions -4000 and -1200 (IL10R and IL10G, respectively) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (MS) at positions -1082G/A, -819C/T and -592C/A of the IL-10 promoter were analysed in patients with SLE and healthy controls from Canary Islands (Spain). We found that SNPs but not MS were associated with SLE. The GCC haplotype frequency was significantly higher in SLE patients (0.43) than in healthy donors (0.33) [P = 0.02; OR = 1.50 (95% CI = 1.06-2.14)], whereas the ACC haplotype was less represented in patients (0.28 vs. 0.37) [P = 0.02; OR = 0.64 (95% CI = 0.44-0.92)]. To assess the functional role of genotypes, serum IL-10 levels from patients and controls were quantified by ELISA. Also, the lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-10 secretion by monocytes from healthy controls was evaluated in vitro. Serum IL-10 levels were higher in patients [median (interquartile range) = 2.8 pg/mL (1.8-4.2)] than in controls [0.9 pg/mL (0-3.5)] (P = 0.02), but no association was observed between serum IL-10 levels or lipopolysaccharide-induced IL-10 secretion and the IL-10 promoter haplotypes. These data suggest that the IL-10 promoter haplotype that produces higher levels of cytokine is associated with SLE in patients from Canary Islands.

HSP-70 as a nonspecific early marker in cisplatin ototoxicity.

CONCLUSION: The great variety of pathological entities related to the presence of circulating HSP-70 suggests a nonspecific cellular damage. As the present study shows, positive results decrease with respect to the time elapsed after the injection of the ototoxic agent. HSP-70 appears as an early and transient marker that could permit early detection of inner ear damage. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the presence of HSP-70 at different time points by means of Western blot immunoassay in the sera of rats treated with cisplatin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with cisplatin at a dose of 5 mg/kg and blood samples were collected at 7 and 90 days. Determination of HSP-70 was made by means of a modified Western blot immunoassay kit originally used for human HSP-70 antigen detection. A control group of 18 animals was used for comparison. RESULTS: Western blot was positive in 77.8% of the animals in the 7 days group, decreasing to a 44.4% in the 90 days group. In the control group, Western blot was positive in 5.5%.