Significant differences in access to tests and treatments for multiple myeloma between public and private systems in Latin America. Results of a Latin American survey. GELAMM (Grupo de Estudio Latino Americano de Mieloma Múltiple).

The incidence of multiple myeloma (MM) has increased in the last 20 years, particularly in middle and low-middle income countries. Access to diagnostic and prognostic tests and the availability of effective care is highly variable globally. Latin America represents 10% of the world population, distributed in countries of varied size, population, and socio-economic development. In the last decade, great improvements have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of MM. Applying these advances in real life is a challenge in our region. Local data regarding MM standards of care and outcomes are limited. A survey was carried out among hematologists from 15 Latin American countries to describe access to MM diagnostic and prognostic tests and the availability of effective care options. This study provides real-world data for MM in our region, highlighting striking differences between public and private access to essential analyses and therapeutic options.

Implementing meta-analysis from genome-wide association studies for pork quality traits.

Pork quality plays an important role in the meat processing industry. Thus, different methodologies have been implemented to elucidate the genetic architecture of traits affecting meat quality. One of the most common and widely used approaches is to perform genome-wide association (GWA) studies. However, a limitation of many GWA in animal breeding is the limited power due to small sample sizes in animal populations. One alternative is to implement a meta-analysis of GWA (MA-GWA) combining results from independent association studies. The objective of this study was to identify significant genomic regions associated with meat quality traits by performing MA-GWA for 8 different traits in 3 independent pig populations. Results from MA-GWA were used to search for genes possibly associated with the set of evaluated traits. Data from 3 pig data sets (U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, commercial, and Michigan State University Pig Resource Population) were used. A MA was implemented by combining -scores derived for each SNP in every population and then weighting them using the inverse of estimated variance of SNP effects. A search for annotated genes retrieved genes previously reported as candidates for shear force (calpain-1 catalytic subunit [] and calpastatin []), as well as for ultimate pH, purge loss, and cook loss (protein kinase, AMP-activated, γ 3 noncatalytic subunit []). In addition, novel candidate genes were identified for intramuscular fat and cook loss (acyl-CoA synthetase family member 3 mitochondrial []) and for the objective measure of muscle redness, CIE a* (glycogen synthase 1, muscle [] and ferritin, light polypeptide []). Thus, implementation of MA-GWA allowed integration of results for economically relevant traits and identified novel genes to be tested as candidates for meat quality traits in pig populations.

[New paradigms in the regulation of bone metabolism]. / Nuevos paradigmas en la regulación del metabolismo óseo.

Although multiple hormones and cytokines regulate various aspects of osteoclast formation, the two final effectors, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and its ligand (OPGL/RANKL) have been recently identified. Since then, there have been important advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the crosstalk between osteoblasts/stromal and hematopoietic osteoclast precursor cells. In this article, we describe the new concepts from the identification of OPG, a protein with potent osteoclastogenesis inhibitory activity, to the isolation of RANKL, a transmembrane ligand expressed on osteoblasts/stromal cells that bind to RANK, a transmembrane receptor on osteoclast cells and its precursors. The interaction between RANK and RANKL triggers a series of mechanisms that result in differentiation, maturation and activation of osteoclasts. OPG inhibits osteoclastogenesis binding to RANKL and blocks its interaction with RANK. Many hormones and cytokines, like PTH and IL-11, act inhibiting production of OPG and stimulating production of RANKL. Contrary to this, estrogens inhibit production of RANKL and RANKL-stimulated osteoclastogenesis. The knowledge of the RANK/RANKL/OPG system and the understanding of osteoclast differentiation and activation has had a great impact on the field of bone metabolism, with new possible treatment strategies for diseases characterized by excessive bone resorption.

Reordenamiento de inmunoglobulinas en el diagnóstico diferencial del linfoma gástrico primario / Immunoglobulin rearrangement in the differential diagnosis of primary gastric lymphoma

Background: The traditional methods to distinguish Chronic Follicular Gastritis and Primary Gastric Lymphoma do not allow an adequate definitive diagnosis in a significant number of cases. The Molecular Biology diagnostic methods are based on the rearrangement of immunoglobulin genes. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specifically amplifies this rearrangement and allows molecular analysis of minimal tissue samples obtained with endoscopical biopsies. Aim: To test the usefulness of this PCR method in the differential diagnosis between Chronic Follicular Gastritis and Primary Gastric Lymphoma. Material and methods: We analyzed the endoscopical biopsies of six Chronic Follicular Gastritis cases and eight surgically treated Primary Gastric Lymphoma cases, six with the correct diagnosis in the endoscopical biopsies and two with a diagnosis of Chronic Follicular Gastritis. Results: A policlonal immunoglobulin rearrangement was found in the six cases with Chronic Follicular Gastritis. A monoclonal arrangement was found in 5 of 6 biopsies with the diagnosis of Primary Gastric Lymphoma. The same monoclonal rearrangement was observed in the two biopsies incorrectly diagnosed as Chronic Follicular Gastritis. Conclusions: PCR analysis of immunoglobulin rearrangement is a useful method in the differential diagnosis between Chronic Follicular Gastritis and Primary Gastric Lymphoma