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This article presents a technique for reducing the stabilization length of steady-state modes in step-index plastic optical fibers (POFs), which is significant for sensor networks, Internet of Things, signal processing, and data fusion in sensor systems. The results obtained with the com- putational tool developed suggest that the D-shape created in the POF effectively reduces the stabi- lization length of the modes and, by extension, minimizes the dispersion effects of the modes by filtering out high-order modes. Applying the analysis to commercial POFs, the authors experimen- tally verified a reduction in the stabilization length of modes from 27 to 10 m and from 20 m to 5 m. Reducing the mode stabilization length minimizes the bit error rate (BER) in short-length SI-POF- based optical links operating at 250 Mbp/s. A reduction from 7.6 × 10-7 to 3.7 × 10-10 was achieved.
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BACKGROUND: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is an early indicator of infection in oncology patients post-chemotherapy. We aimed to determine clinical predictors of septic shock and/or bacteremia in pediatric cancer patients experiencing FN and to create a model that classifies patients as low-risk for these outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis with clinical data of a cohort of pediatric oncology patients admitted during July 2015 to September 2017 with FN. One FN episode per patient was randomly selected. Statistical analyses include distribution analysis, hypothesis testing, and multivariate logistic regression to determine clinical feature association with outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 865 episodes of FN occurred in 429 subjects. In the 404 sampled episodes that were analyzed, 20.8% experienced outcomes of septic shock and/or bacteremia. Gram-negative bacteria count for 70% of bacteremias. Features with statistically significant influence in predicting these outcomes were hematological malignancy (P < .001), cancer relapse (P = .011), platelet count (P = .004), and age (P = .023). The multivariate logistic regression model achieves AUROC = 0.66 (95% CI 0.56-0.76). The optimal classification threshold achieves sensitivity = 0.96, specificity = 0.33, PPV = 0.40, and NPV = 0.95. CONCLUSIONS: This model, based on simple clinical variables, can be used to identify patients at low-risk of septic shock and/or bacteremia. The model's NPV of 95% satisfies the priority to avoid discharging patients at high-risk for adverse infection outcomes. The model will require further validation on a prospective population.
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Bacteriemia , Neutropenia Febril , Neoplasias , Choque Séptico , Criança , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Estudos Prospectivos , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/complicações , Bacteriemia/microbiologia , Neoplasias/complicações , Neoplasias/tratamento farmacológico , Neutropenia Febril/tratamento farmacológico , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
Analyzing data related to the conditions of city streets and avenues could help to make better decisions about public spending on mobility. Generally, streets and avenues are fixed as soon as they have a citizen report or when a major incident occurs. However, it is uncommon for cities to have real-time reactive systems that detect the different problems they have to fix on the pavement. This work proposes a solution to detect anomalies in streets through state analysis using sensors within the vehicles that travel daily and connecting them to a fog-computing architecture on a V2I network. The system detects and classifies the main road problems or abnormal conditions in streets and avenues using Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA), comparing roughness against a flat reference. An instrumented vehicle obtained the reference through accelerometry sensors and then sent the data through a mid-range communication system. With these data, the system compared an Artificial Neural Network (supervised MLA) and a K-Nearest Neighbor (Supervised MLA) to select the best option to handle the acquired data. This system makes it desirable to visualize the streets' quality and map the areas with the most significant anomalies.
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Algoritmos , Aprendizado de Máquina , Análise por Conglomerados , Sistemas Computacionais , Redes Neurais de ComputaçãoRESUMO
Salmonella can form biofilms that contribute to its resistance in food processing environments. Biofilms are a dense population of cells that adhere to the surface, creating a matrix composed of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) consisting mainly of polysaccharides, proteins, and eDNA. Remarkably, the secreted substances, including cellulose, curli, and colanic acid, act as protective barriers for Salmonella and contribute to its resistance and persistence when exposed to disinfectants. Conventional treatments are mostly ineffective in controlling this problem; therefore, exploring anti-biofilm molecules that minimize and eradicate Salmonella biofilms is required. The evidence indicated that terpenes effectively reduce biofilms and affect their three-dimensional structure due to the decrease in the content of EPS. Specifically, in the case of Salmonella, cellulose is an essential component in their biofilms, and its control could be through the inhibition of glycosyltransferase, the enzyme that synthesizes this polymer. The inhibition of polymeric substances secreted by Salmonella during biofilm development could be considered a target to reduce its resistance to disinfectants, and terpenes can be regarded as inhibitors of this process. However, more studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these compounds against Salmonella enzymes that produce extracellular polymeric substances.
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Human serum transferrin (Tf) is a bilobed glycoprotein whose function is to transport iron through receptor-mediated endocytosis. The mechanism for iron release is pH-dependent and involves conformational changes in the protein, thus making it an attractive system for possible biomedical applications. In this contribution, two powerful X-ray techniques, namely Macromolecular X-ray Crystallography (MX) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), were used to study the conformational changes of iron-free (apo) and iron-loaded (holo) transferrin in crystal and solution states, respectively, at three different pH values of physiological relevance. A crystallographic model of glycosylated apo-Tf was obtained at 3.0 Å resolution, which did not resolve further despite many efforts to improve crystal quality. In the solution, apo-Tf remained mostly globular in all the pH conditions tested; however, the co-existence of closed, partially open, and open conformations was observed for holo-Tf, which showed a more elongated and flexible shape overall.
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Transferrina/ultraestrutura , Sítios de Ligação/fisiologia , Cristalografia por Raios X/métodos , Glicosilação , Humanos , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Ferro/metabolismo , Modelos Moleculares , Ligação Proteica/fisiologia , Conformação Proteica , Espalhamento a Baixo Ângulo , Soro/química , Soro/metabolismo , Transferrina/metabolismo , Difração de Raios XRESUMO
RESUMEN Se informa el caso de un paciente masculino de 28 años de edad, con antecedente de ingesta volun taria de proyectil metálico 20 días antes de la consulta, que es admitido en nuestro Servicio con sinto matología típica de apendicitis aguda. En ese contexto se practica una apendicectomía convencional. El análisis de las imágenes preoperatorias y los hallazgos quirúrgicos permiten identificar la asociación entre el cuerpo extraño y la apendicitis aguda. La ingesta de cuerpo extraño, sea voluntario o acciden tal, representa una causa sumamente infrecuente de apendicitis aguda, razón por la cual existen pocos informes al respecto en la literatura mundial; este es el primero en la Argentina.
ABSTRACT We report the case of a 28-year-old male patient with a history of voluntary ingestion of a metallic pellet 20 days before who was transferred to our department with typical symptoms of acute ap pendicitis. Under that circumstances he underwent conventional appendectomy. The analysis of the preoperative imaging tests and the intraoperative findings help to identify the association between the foreign body and acute appendicitis. Ingestion of foreign bodies, either accidental or voluntary, is an extremely uncommon cause of acute appendicitis; thus, there are few reports in the international literature. This is the first case reported in Argentina.
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The resistance of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to disinfection is associated with its ability to form biofilms, mainly constituted by glucans produced by glucosyltransferases. Citral and geraniol, terpenes found in the essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus (EO), have proven antibacterial activity against planktonic E. coli; however, no information was found about their efficacy and mode of action against E. coli biofilms. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of C. citratus EO, citral, and geraniol on glucans production and glucosyltransferase activity as anti-biofilm mechanism against E. coli was evaluated. EO, citral, and geraniol inhibited the planktonic growth of E. coli (minimal inhibitory concentration or MIC= 2.2, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/mL, respectively) and the bacterial adhesion (2.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/mL, respectively) on stainless steel. All compounds decreased the glucans production; citral and geraniol acted as uncompetitive inhibitors of glucosyltransferase activity (The half maximal inhibitory concentrations or IC50 were 8.5 and 6.5 µM, respectively). The evidence collected by docking analysis indicated that both terpenes could interact with the helix finger of the glucosyltransferase responsible for the polymer production. In conclusion, C. citratus EO, citral, and geraniol inhibited glucosyltransferase activity, glucans production, and the consequent biofilm formation of E. coli O157:H7.
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BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentation disorder characterized by melanocyte loss via autoimmune mechanisms triggered by oxidative stress. Gene polymorphisms in antioxidant enzymes and immunomodulators such as catalase (CAT) and vitamin D receptor (VDR), respectively, have been linked to vitiligo in European and Asian populations. Our aim was to evaluate the role of CAT and VDR gene polymorphisms as well as CAT and vitamin D in nonsegmental vitiligo in Northwestern Mexicans. METHODS: A total of 357 subjects, 173 nonsegmental vitiligo patients and 184 age-gender matched healthy controls, were genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. CAT activity was determined in 39 patients and in 39 controls and vitamin D (VitD) levels in 35 individuals per group. RESULTS: CAT 419 C/T gene polymorphism was not informative, -89 A/T was associated with risk (P = 0.02), and 389 C/T conferred protection against vitiligo along with AT haplotype (P < 0.01 in both cases). VDR BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI gene polymorphisms were not associated with vitiligo, but BsmI was more prevalent in patients with Koebner phenomenon (P = 0.02). Serum CAT activity and VitD levels were lower in patients than in controls, but they showed no association with any vitiligo clinical characteristics neither with their gene polymorphisms. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest a role for CAT gene polymorphisms in vitiligo susceptibility in the Mexican population and a lack of association with VDR gene polymorphisms.
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Catalase/genética , Predisposição Genética para Doença , Receptores de Calcitriol/genética , Vitiligo/genética , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Polimorfismo de Fragmento de Restrição , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Cymbopogon citratus and Allium cepa essential oils (EOs) are rich in terpenes and sulfur compounds respectively, both with antibacterial activity and different cell targets, supporting the idea that their combination can increase their efficacy. RESULTS: Major constituents of C. citratus were geranial and neral, while A. cepa presented dipropyl disulfide and dipropyl trisulfide. Cymbopogon citratus and A. cepa EOs inhibited the in vitro growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (minimal inhibitory concentrations of 2.21 and 5.13 g L-1 respectively), Salmonella Choleraesuis (3.04 and 1.28 g L-1 ), Listeria monocytogenes (1.33 and 2.56 g L-1 ) and Staphylococcus aureus (0.44 and 5.26 g L-1 ). Application of the EO combination to spinach caused a greater reduction in E. coli (2.34 log colony-forming units (CFU) g-1 ), S. Choleraesuis (2.94 log CFU g-1 ), L. monocytogenes (2.06 log CFU g-1 ) and S. aureus (1.37 log CFU g-1 ) compared with higher doses of individual EOs; a similar effect was observed for romaine lettuce. Individual and combined EOs caused a reduction in flavor acceptability level; however, no significant differences were found among odor acceptability of control vegetables and those treated with the EO combination and C. citratus EO. CONCLUSION: Leafy vegetables treated with the EO combination showed higher antibacterial protection and odor acceptability compared with individual EO treatments. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Cymbopogon/química , Conservação de Alimentos/métodos , Óleos Voláteis/farmacologia , Cebolas/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Spinacia oleracea/microbiologia , Verduras/microbiologia , Escherichia coli O157/efeitos dos fármacos , Escherichia coli O157/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Lactuca/microbiologia , Listeria monocytogenes/efeitos dos fármacos , Listeria monocytogenes/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Folhas de Planta/microbiologia , Staphylococcus aureus/efeitos dos fármacos , Staphylococcus aureus/crescimento & desenvolvimentoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tomato is a fruit widely consumed due to its flavor and nutritional value; however, it is susceptible to fungi contamination. Oregano essential oil (OEO) is a fungicide whose constituents are volatile; therefore, their incorporation within edible coatings can protect them and maintain their efficacy. In this context, this study evaluated the effect of OEO applied within pectin coatings on the inhibition of Alternaria alternata growth, antioxidant content and sensorial acceptability of tomatoes. RESULTS: The major volatile compounds of OEO were carvacrol (47.41%), p-cymene (26.44%) and thymol (3.02%). All the applied OEO concentrations (15.7, 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) ) inhibited the in vitro growth of A. alternata, whereas the in vivo effective concentrations were 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) . Additionally, there was an increment of total phenols and antioxidant activity in coated tomatoes compared to controls. Aroma acceptability of tomatoes was not affected by the pectin-OEO coating; additionally, the pectin, pectin-OEO 15.7 g L(-1) treatments and control tomatoes showed higher flavor acceptability than those coated with pectin-OEO 25.9 and 36.1 g L(-1) . CONCLUSION: Pectin-OEO coatings showed antifungal effect and increased the antioxidant activity without negative effects on the sensorial acceptability of tomatoes. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Alternaria/efeitos dos fármacos , Antioxidantes/análise , Manipulação de Alimentos/métodos , Óleos Voláteis/farmacologia , Origanum/química , Pectinas , Solanum lycopersicum , Alternaria/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Antifúngicos/análise , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Cimenos , Microbiologia de Alimentos , Conservação de Alimentos/métodos , Frutas/química , Frutas/microbiologia , Fungicidas Industriais , Humanos , Solanum lycopersicum/microbiologia , Monoterpenos/análise , Monoterpenos/farmacologia , Odorantes , Óleos Voláteis/química , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Paladar , Timol/análise , Timol/farmacologiaRESUMO
Paciente femenino de 30 años de edad, con enfermedad actual de 7 meses de evolución, caracterizado por Astenia, adi- namia, palidez cutáneo mucosa, pérdida de peso 12 kg en el último mes y episodios de evacuaciones liquidas de 10 días de evolución en #15 veces al día en abundante cantidad, sin moco, ni sangre; también refería vómito #01 vez al día de contenido alimentario. Antecedentes personales, familiares y hábitos psicobiológicos: no contributorios. Exploración funcional: niega síntomas B. Examen físico positivo: Signos Vitales: normales, IMC: 17.2 kg/m2 leve palidez cutáneo-mucosa e hipotrofia muscular. Paraclínicos positivo: Anemia macrocítica e hipercrómica severa, sin alteración del recuento leucocitario, LDH: 1578 U/L y el resto de la química básica normal. Ultrasonido abdominal: normal. TAC de abdomen con doble contraste: esplenomegalia leve adenopatías retroperitoneales y mesentéricas de aspecto inespecífico, Endoscopia Digestiva Superior: poliposis duodenal. Enteroscopia: Poliposis Intestinal. Colonoscopia: normal. Biopsia e inmunohistoquimico: poliposis linfomatosa intestinal: linfoma no hodgking inmunofenotipo celulas B: linfoma folicular. Un tipo infrecuente de linfoma extranodal del estirpe celular B, infrecuente como forma de presentación de poliposis linfomatosa, con el que debemos que hacer diagnóstico diferencial con: 1.Linfoma del Manto 2. Hiperplasia Linfoide Folicular Reactiva 3. Pólipos Epiteliales 4. Compromiso secundario de linfoma folicular ganglionar.
Patient women 30 years of age, with 7 months of current disease, characterized by asthenia, adinamia, mucous skin pallor, loss of weight 12 kg in the last month, and episodes of evacuations liquid 10 days of evolution in #15 times a day in copious amounts, without mucus, or blood; also meant vomiting #01 time per day of food content. Personal history, family, and psychobiological habits: not contributorios. Functional exploration: denies symptoms B. positive physical examination: vital signs: normal BMI: 17.2 kg/m2 light pale mucosa and muscular hypotrophy. Positive paraclinical: anemia macrocytic e hyperchromic severe, without alteration of the Leukocyte count, LDH: 1578 u / and the rest of basic chemistry was normal. Abdominal ultrasound: normal. CT of abdomen with doublecontrast: splenomegaly mild retroperitoneal adenopathies and mesenteric nonspecific aspect, upper digestive endoscopy: duodenal polyposis. Enteroscopy: Intestinal polyposis. Colo- noscopy: normal. Biopsy and immunohistochemical: intestinal lymphomatous polyposis: Lymphoma non-Hodgkins immune b cells follicular lymphoma. An uncommon type of extranodal lymphoma cell line B, uncommon as a form of presentation of lymphomatous polyposis, that we have to make differential diagnosis with: 1. Mantle cell Lymphoma. 2. Reactive follicular Lymphoid Hyperplasia. 3. Epithelial polyp. 4. Nodal follicular Lymphoma secondary commitment.
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Edible films can be used as carriers for antimicrobial compounds to assure food safety and quality; in addition, pathogenesis of food bacteria is related to a cell to cell communication mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). Oregano essential oil (OEO) has proved to be useful as food antimicrobial; however, its food applications can be compromised by the volatile character of its active constituents. Therefore, formulation of edible films containing OEO can be an alternative to improve its food usages. QS inhibitory activity of OEO and pectin-OEO films was evaluated using Chromobacterium violaceum as bacterial model. Additionally, antibacterial activity was tested against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Choleraesuis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. OEO was effective to inhibit bacterial growth at MIC of 0.24 mg/mL for all tested bacteria and MBC of 0.24, 0.24, 0.48, and 0.24 mg/mL against E. coli O157:H7, S. Choleraesuis, S. aureus, and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Pectin-films incorporated with 36.1 and 25.9 mg/mL of OEO showed inhibition diameters of 16.3 and 15.2 mm for E. coli O157:H7; 18.1 and 24.2 mm for S. Choleraesuis; 20.8 and 20.3 mm for S. aureus; 21.3 and 19.3 mm for L. monocytogenes, respectively. Pectin-OEO film (15.7 mg/mL) was effective against E. coli O157:H7 (9.3 mm), S. aureus (9.7 mm), and L. monocytogenes (9.2 mm), but not for S. Choleraesuis. All concentrations of OEO (0.0156, 0.0312, 0.0625 and 0.125 mg/mL) and pectin-OEO films (15.7, 25.9 and 36.1 mg/mL) showed a significant anti-QS activity expressed as inhibition of violacein production by C. violaceum. Additionally, the application of pectin-OEO films was effective reducing total coliforms, yeast, and molds of shrimp and cucumber slices stored at 4°C during 15 d. These results demonstrated the potential of pectin films enriched with OEO as food related microorganisms and QS inhibitors.
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C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) is known for its role as a co-receptor for HIV-1 infection. Some individuals possess a 32 bp deletion, known as Delta-32 allele which has been reported to confer resistance to HIV-1 infection. In order to estimate the distribution of Delta-32 allele of CCR5 gene, 1034 mestizo individuals from the Northwest of Mexico, including 385 HIV-1-infected individuals, 472 healthy controls and 177 uninfected female sex workers; were examined by allele-specific PCR. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of Delta-32 allele between HIV-1 positive and healthy individuals (OR= 1.1, p= 0.6). However, we found a significantly reduced prevalence of CCR5 Delta-32 heterozygous genotype in female patients (OR= 0.084, 95% CI= 0.011 - 0.630, p= 0.002), as well as in allele frequency, compared to male patients. Furthermore, we observed an inverse relationship between allele frequency and the risk of HIV-1 transmission and AIDS progression among female healthy controls, sex workers and HIV-1 infected groups. Our findings support previous data showing Delta-32 as a genetic protective factor against HIV-1 infection in Mexican women, as well as in women from other populations.
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Alelos , Infecções por HIV/genética , HIV-1 , Receptores CCR5/genética , Trabalho Sexual , Adulto , Idoso , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Estudos Transversais , Progressão da Doença , Feminino , Frequência do Gene , Marcadores Genéticos , Genótipo , Humanos , México , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Razão de Chances , Receptores CCR5/fisiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of socioeconomic factors on disease activity in a Latin American (LA) early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) multinational inception cohort at baseline. METHODS: Clinical evaluation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), 4-variable Disease Activity Score in 28 joints using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) disability index (DI), and erosions were recorded in 1,093 patients with early RA (<1 year from onset). Multivariate analyses evaluated influences of sex, age, marital status, education, medical coverage, SES, and ethnicity on HAQ DI, DAS28-ESR, and presence of erosions. RESULTS: Ethnicities included 43% Mestizo, 31% Caucasian, 19% African LA, 4% Amerindian, and 3% other. Fifty-eight percent were of low/low-middle SES, 42% had <8 years of education, 21% had no medical coverage, median disease duration was 6 months (25th, 75th percentiles 4, 9 months), median HAQ DI score was 1.25 (25th, 75th percentiles 0.63, 2.00), median DAS28-ESR score was 6.2 (25th, 75th percentiles 4.9, 7.2), and 25% had erosions. Women and Mestizos, African LA, and Amerindians had earlier onset than men or Caucasians (P < 0.01). When adjusted by country, the analysis of covariance model showed that low/low-middle SES, female sex, partial coverage, and older age were associated with worse HAQ DI scores; only low/low-middle SES was associated with higher DAS28 scores. Statistically significant differences were found in HAQ DI and DAS28 scores between countries. When excluding country, low/low-middle SES, female sex, and no coverage were associated with worse HAQ DI and DAS28 scores, whereas separated/divorced/widowed status was associated with worse HAQ DI scores and age was associated with worse DAS28 scores. Logistic regression showed that older age, no coverage, and the Amerindian and other ethnic groups were associated with erosions. CONCLUSION: We compared early RA patients from the main LA ethnic groups. Our findings suggest that low/low-middle SES is important in determining disease activity. A more genetic-related background for erosions is possible.
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Artrite Reumatoide/economia , Artrite Reumatoide/etnologia , Adulto , Artrite Reumatoide/diagnóstico , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Internacionalidade , América Latina/etnologia , Estudos Longitudinais , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Classe Social , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosAssuntos
Bursite/diagnóstico por imagem , Calcinose/diagnóstico por imagem , Olécrano/diagnóstico por imagem , Patela/diagnóstico por imagem , Radiografia/métodos , Esclerodermia Limitada/complicações , Idoso , Bursite/etiologia , Bursite/fisiopatologia , Calcinose/etiologia , Calcinose/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Humanos , Olécrano/fisiopatologia , Patela/fisiopatologia , Amplitude de Movimento Articular , Esclerodermia Limitada/fisiopatologia , Tela Subcutânea/patologiaRESUMO
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease; however, the mechanisms involved in the early onset of atherosclerosis in these patients are not clear. Scavenger receptors, CD36 and CD163 are expressed by mononuclear phagocytes and participate in the binding and uptake of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (Ox-LDL), contributing to foam-cells formation and atherosclerosis development. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CD36(+) and CD163(+) expression and Ox-LDL removal by monocytes from SLE and atherosclerotic patients, compared to similar age-range healthy controls. Healthy controls, SLE, and atherosclerotic patients were evaluated for carotid intima media thickness (CIMT), lipid profile, and native LDL (N-LDL) and Ox-LDL binding/endocytosis. SLE patients presented decreased high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and increased Triglyceride levels, and half of the SLE patients had increased CIMT, compared to their healthy controls (HC(SLE)). The number of CD14(+)CD163(+) cells was increased in atherosclerosis healthy controls (HC(Atheros)) compared to HC(SLE), but there were no differences between SLE or atherosclerotic patients and their respective healthy controls. Clearance assays revealed a similar capacity to bind/endocytose Ox-LDL by monocytes from SLE patients and HC(SLE), and an increased binding and endocytosis of Ox-LDL by monocytes from atherosclerotic patients, compared to HC(Atheros). The decreased CD36 and CD163 expression observed in atherosclerotic and SLE patients, respectively, suggest that these inflammatory conditions modulate these receptors differentially. The increased CIMT observed in SLE patients cannot be explained by Ox-LDL binding/endocytosis, which was comparable to their controls.
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Aterosclerose/complicações , Aterosclerose/imunologia , Endocitose/imunologia , Lipoproteínas LDL/metabolismo , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/complicações , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/imunologia , Monócitos/imunologia , Adulto , Idoso , Antígenos CD/imunologia , Antígenos de Diferenciação Mielomonocítica/imunologia , Antígenos CD36/imunologia , Humanos , Receptores de Lipopolissacarídeos/imunologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Oxirredução , Ligação Proteica/imunologia , Receptores de Superfície Celular/imunologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Decreased apoptotic cells (ACs) removal has been described as relevant in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathogenesis. Binding/phagocytosis of ACs was decreased in SLE patients. Blocking experiments suggested a role for CD36 in ACs clearance in healthy controls, not observed in SLE patients. Binding/phagocytosis of ACs induced the production of IL-6, CXCL8 and CCL22 in patients and controls and IL-1ß, TNF-α and CCL3 only in healthy controls. ACs clearance induced an increase in CD80 and a decrease in CD86 expression in healthy controls and atherosclerotic patients. However, SLE patients did not up-regulate CD80 expression. The number and expression of CD36 and CD163 in monocytes was not different between the groups. ACs removal induced a down-regulation of CD36 expression in adherent HLA-DR(+) cells in SLE patients but not healthy controls. The decreased binding/phagocytosis of ACs observed in SLE patients, induces a distinct immune response compared with healthy controls.
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Apoptose/imunologia , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/imunologia , Monócitos/imunologia , Fagocitose/imunologia , Adulto , Idoso , Anticorpos Monoclonais/imunologia , Anticorpos Monoclonais/farmacologia , Antígenos CD/imunologia , Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Antígenos de Diferenciação Mielomonocítica/imunologia , Antígenos de Diferenciação Mielomonocítica/metabolismo , Aterosclerose/imunologia , Antígeno B7-1/metabolismo , Antígeno B7-2/metabolismo , Antígenos CD36/imunologia , Antígenos CD36/metabolismo , Antígenos CD40/metabolismo , Quimiocina CCL2/metabolismo , Quimiocina CCL22/metabolismo , Quimiocina CCL3/metabolismo , Meios de Cultivo Condicionados/metabolismo , Feminino , Antígenos HLA-DR/metabolismo , Humanos , Interleucina-1beta/metabolismo , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Interleucina-8/metabolismo , Leucócitos Mononucleares/imunologia , Leucócitos Mononucleares/metabolismo , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Monócitos/citologia , Monócitos/metabolismo , Fagocitose/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptores de Superfície Celular/imunologia , Receptores de Superfície Celular/metabolismo , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismo , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Lucina pectinata haemoglobin II (HbII) transports oxygen in the presence of H(2)S to the symbiotic system in this bivalve mollusc. The composition of the haem pocket at the distal site includes TyrB10 and GlnE7, which are very common in other haem proteins. Obtaining crystals of oxyHbII at various pH values is required in order to elucidate the changes in the conformations of TyrB10 and GlnE7 and structural scenarios induced by changes in pH. Here, the growth of crystals of oxyHbII using the capillary counterdiffusion (CCD) technique at various pH values using a two-step protocol is reported. In the first step, a mini-screen was used to validate sodium formate as the best precipitating reagent for the growth of oxyHbII crystals. The second step, a pH screen typically used for optimization, was used to produce crystals in the pH range 4-9. Very well faceted prismatic ruby-red crystals were obtained at all pH values. X-ray data sets were acquired using synchrotron radiation of wavelength 0.886 A (for the crystals obtained at pH 5) and 0.908 A (for those obtained at pH 4, 8 and 9) to maximum resolutions of 3.30, 1.95, 1.85 and 2.00 A for the crystals obtained at pH 4, 5, 8 and 9, respectively. All of the crystals were isomorphous and belonged to space group P4(2)2(1)2.
Assuntos
Bivalves/química , Hemoglobinas/química , Animais , Cristalização , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Difração de Raios XRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the beneficial effect of antimalarial treatment on lupus survival in a large, multiethnic, international longitudinal inception cohort. METHODS: Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, classification criteria, laboratory findings, and treatment variables were examined in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) from the Grupo Latino Americano de Estudio del Lupus Eritematoso (GLADEL) cohort. The diagnosis of SLE, according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria, was assessed within 2 years of cohort entry. Cause of death was classified as active disease, infection, cardiovascular complications, thrombosis, malignancy, or other cause. Patients were subdivided by antimalarial use, grouped according to those who had received antimalarial drugs for at least 6 consecutive months (user) and those who had received antimalarial drugs for <6 consecutive months or who had never received antimalarial drugs (nonuser). RESULTS: Of the 1,480 patients included in the GLADEL cohort, 1,141 (77%) were considered antimalarial users, with a mean duration of drug exposure of 48.5 months (range 6-98 months). Death occurred in 89 patients (6.0%). A lower mortality rate was observed in antimalarial users compared with nonusers (4.4% versus 11.5%; P< 0.001). Seventy patients (6.1%) had received antimalarial drugs for 6-11 months, 146 (12.8%) for 1-2 years, and 925 (81.1%) for >2 years. Mortality rates among users by duration of antimalarial treatment (per 1,000 person-months of followup) were 3.85 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.41-8.37), 2.7 (95% CI 1.41-4.76), and 0.54 (95% CI 0.37-0.77), respectively, while for nonusers, the mortality rate was 3.07 (95% CI 2.18-4.20) (P for trend < 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounders in a Cox regression model, antimalarial use was associated with a 38% reduction in the mortality rate (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% CI 0.39-0.99). CONCLUSION: Antimalarial drugs were shown to have a protective effect, possibly in a time-dependent manner, on SLE survival. These results suggest that the use of antimalarial treatment should be recommended for patients with lupus.