Prophylactic corticosteroid to prevent pain flare in bone metastases treated by radiotherapy

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylactic corticosteroids to prevent pain flare (PF) in bone metastases treated with radiotherapy performing a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCT).Materials and methodsRCTs were identified on Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the proceedings of annual meetings through June 2020. We followed the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. A meta-analysis was performed to assess if corticosteroids reduce the PF, pain progression, and the mean of days with PF compared with the placebo. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsThree RCTs with a total of 713 patients treated were included. The corticosteroids reduced the occurrence of early PF 20.5% (51/248) versus 32% (80/250) placebo, OR = 0.55 (95% CI: 0.36–0.82, p = 0.002). The mean days of PF were reduced to 1.6 days (95% CI: 1.3–1.9, p = 0.0001). Prophylactic corticosteroids had more patients with no PF and no pain progression, OR = 1.63 (95% CI: 1.14–2.32, p = 0.007). No significant corticosteroids effect was observed for pain progression (p = ns) and late PF occurrence (p = ns).ConclusionProphylactic corticosteroids reduced the incidence of early PF, the days with PF, resulting in a superior rate of patients with no PF and no pain progression, but with no significant benefit for reducing pain progression or late PF occurrence.     

Phylogenetic analyses of the genera Pipra, Lepidothrix and Dixiphia (Pipridae, Passeriformes) using partial cytochrome b and 16S mtDNA genes

The piprids (manakins) are small-bodied Neotropical birds characterized by sexual dimorphism of the plumage and elaborate courtship rituals. The phylogenetic relationships of some of piprid genera, in particular Pipra , are not well defined. Recently, Pipra was divided into three distinct groups, and the recognition of two new genera — Lepidothrix and Dixiphia — was suggested, based on the characteristic of the syringial morphology. In the present study, we analyse the phylogenetic relationships among these genera on the basis of data from the mitochondrial genes rRNA 16S and cytochrome b . Bayesian Inference (BI), Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods of analyses produced phylogenetic trees with very similar topologies with regard to the groupings formed by the species representing the three genera. These results indicate that the genera Pipra, Lepidothrix and Dixiphia do not constitute a single monophyletic clade, and support the current hypothesis of polyphyletism for the former representatives of the genus Pipra . However, the topologies presented do not coincide exactly with the phylogeny suggested by the morphological data with regard to the relationship between these three groups and the remaining piprid genera analysed here, emphasizing the need for further studies of this group of birds. The agreement between the molecular data presented here and the biogeographical information available for some of the species analysed appears to confirm the potential of using segments of the mitochondrial genome for the study of phylogeographical patterns in this group of organisms.     

Evaluation of a High Throughput Method for the Detection of Mutations Associated with Thrombosis and Hereditary Hemochromatosis in Brazilian Blood Donors

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the OpenArray platform for genetic testing of blood donors and to assess the genotype frequencies of nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with venous thrombosis (G1691A and G20210A), hyperhomocysteinemia (C677T, A1298C), and hereditary hemochromatosis (C282Y, H63D and S65C) in blood donors from Sao Paulo, Brazil.MethodsWe examined 400 blood donor samples collected from October to November 2011. The SNPs were detected using OpenArray technology. The blood samples were also examined using a real-time PCR–FRET system to compare the results and determine the accuracy of the OpenArray method.ResultsWe observed 100% agreement in all assays tested, except HFE C282Y, which showed 99.75% agreement. The HFE C282Y assay was further confirmed through direct sequencing, and the results showed that OpenArray analysis was accurate. The calculated frequencies of each SNP were FV G1691A 98.8% (G/G), 1.2% (G/A); FII G2021A 99.5% (G/G), 0.5% (G/A); MTHFR C677T 45.5% (C/C), 44.8% (C/T), 9.8% (T/T); MTHFR A1298C 60.3% (A/A), 33.6% (A/C), 6.1% (C/C); HFE C282Y 96%(G/G), 4%(G/A), HFE H63D 78.1%(C/C), 20.3% (C/G), 1.6% (G/G); and HFE S65C 98.1% (A/A), 1.9% (A/T).ConclusionTaken together, these results describe the frequencies of SNPs associated with diseases and are important to enhance our current knowledge of the genetic profiles of Brazilian blood donors, although a larger study is needed for a more accurate determination of the frequency of the alleles. Furthermore, the OpenArray platform showed a high concordance rate with standard FRET RT-PCR.     

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Its Risk Factors in Chinese Pregnant Women: A Prospective Population-Based Study in Tianjin,China

Objective

We compared the increases in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on the 1999 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and its risk factors in Tianjin, China, over a 12-year period. We also examined the changes in the prevalence using the criteria of International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG).

Methods

In 2010-2012, 18589 women who registered within 12 weeks of gestation underwent a glucose challenge test (GCT) at 24-28 gestational weeks. Amongst them, 2953 women with 1-hour plasma glucose ≥7.8 mmol/L underwent a 75-gram 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 781 women had a positive GCT but absented from the standard OGTT. An adjusted prevalence of GDM was calculated for the whole cohort of women by including an estimate of the proportion of women with positive GCTs who did not have OGTTs but would have been expected to have GDM. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals using the IADPSG criteria. The prevalence of GDM risk factors was compared to the 1999 survey.

Results

The adjusted prevalence of GDM by the 1999 WHO criteria was 8.1%, a 3.5-fold increase as in 1999. Using the IADPSG criteria increased the adjusted prevalence further to 9.3%. Advanced age, higher pre-pregnancy body mass index, Han-nationality, higher systolic blood pressure (BP), a family history of diabetes, weight gain during pregnancy and habitual smoking were risk factors for GDM. Compared to the 1999 survey, the prevalence of overweight plus obesity had increased by 1.8 folds, age≥30 years by 2.3 folds, systolic BP by 2.3 mmHg over the 12-year period.

Conclusions

Increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity and older age at pregnancy were accompanied by increasing prevalence of GDM, further increased by change in diagnostic criteria.     

The PGE2/IL-10 Axis Determines Susceptibility of B-1 Cell-Derived Phagocytes (B-1CDP) to Leishmania major Infection

B-1 cells can be differentiated from B-2 cells because they are predominantly located in the peritoneal and pleural cavities and have distinct phenotypic patterns and activation properties. A mononuclear phagocyte derived from B-1 cells (B-1CDP) has been described. As the B-1CDP cells migrate to inflammatory/infectious sites and exhibit phagocytic capacity, the microbicidal ability of these cells was investigated using the Leishmania major infection model in vitro. The data obtained in this study demonstrate that B-1CDP cells are more susceptible to infection than peritoneal macrophages, since B-1CDP cells have a higher number of intracellular amastigotes forms and consequently release a larger number of promastigotes. Exacerbated infection by L. major required lipid bodies/PGE₂ and IL-10 by B-1CDP cells. Both infection and the production of IL-10 were decreased when PGE₂ production was blocked by NSAIDs. The involvement of IL-10 in this mechanism was confirmed, since B-1CDP cells from IL-10 KO mice are more competent to control L. major infection than cells from wild type mice. These findings further characterize the B-1CDP cells as an important mononuclear phagocyte that plays a previously unrecognized role in host responses to L. major infection, most likely via PGE₂-driven production of IL-10.     

Admixture and Genetic Diversity Distribution Patterns of Non-Recombining Lineages of Native American Ancestry in Colombian Populations

Genetic diversity of present American populations results from very complex demographic events involving different types and degrees of admixture. Through the analysis of lineage markers such as mtDNA and Y chromosome it is possible to recover the original Native American haplotypes, which remained identical since the admixture events due to the absence of recombination. However, the decrease in the effective population sizes and the consequent genetic drift effects suffered by these populations during the European colonization resulted in the loss or under-representation of a substantial fraction of the Native American lineages. In this study, we aim to clarify how the diversity and distribution of uniparental lineages vary with the different demographic characteristics (size, degree of isolation) and the different levels of admixture of extant Native groups in Colombia. We present new data resulting from the analyses of mtDNA whole control region, Y chromosome SNP haplogroups and STR haplotypes, and autosomal ancestry informative insertion-deletion polymorphisms in Colombian individuals from different ethnic and linguistic groups. The results demonstrate that populations presenting a high proportion of non-Native American ancestry have preserved nevertheless a substantial diversity of Native American lineages, for both mtDNA and Y chromosome. We suggest that, by maintaining the effective population sizes high, admixture allowed for a decrease in the effects of genetic drift due to Native population size reduction and thus resulting in an effective preservation of the Native American non-recombining lineages.     

Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes Are Able to Manage Internal Cholesterol Levels under Nutritional Lipid Stress Conditions

Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes store high amounts of cholesterol and cholesteryl esters in reservosomes. These unique organelles are responsible for cellular digestion by providing substrates for homeostasis and parasite differentiation. Here we demonstrate that under nutritional lipid stress, epimastigotes preferentially mobilized reservosome lipid stocks, instead of lipid bodies, leading to the consumption of parasite cholesterol reservoirs and production of ergosterol. Starved epimastigotes acquired more LDL-NBD-cholesterol by endocytosis and distributed the exogenous cholesterol to their membranes faster than control parasites. Moreover, the parasites were able to manage internal cholesterol levels, alternating between consumption and accumulation. With normal lipid availability, parasites esterified cholesterol exhibiting an ACAT-like activity that was sensitive to Avasimibe in a dose-dependent manner. This result also implies that exogenous cholesterol has a role in lipid reservoirs in epimastigotes.     

Presence of Zea luxurians (Durieu and Ascherson) Bird in Southern Brazil: Implications for the Conservation of Wild Relatives of Maize

Records of the occurrence of wild relatives of maize in South American lowlands are unprecedented, especially in sympatric coexistence with landraces. This fact is relevant, because regions of occurrence of wild relatives of cultivated plants should be a priority for conservation, even if they do not correspond to the center of origin of the species. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize the wild relatives of maize in the Far West of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Therefore, phenotypic characterization was performed for five populations, based on 22 morphological traits deemed as fundamental for classifying the species of the genus Zea, and validated through the characterization of chromosomal knobs of two populations. The occurrence and distribution of teosinte populations were described through semi-structured interviews applied to a sample of 305 farmers. A total of 136 teosinte populations were identified; 75% of them occur spontaneously, 17% are cultivated populations, and 8% occur both ways, for the same farm. Populations that were characterized morphologically had trapezoidal fruits mostly, upright tassel branch (4–18), non-prominent main branch and glabrous glumes, with two protruding outer ribs and 8 inner ribs, on average. Cytogenetic analysis identified 10 pairs of homologous chromosomes (2n = 20) with 26 knobs, located in the terminal region of all chromosomes. The similarity of these results with the information reported in the literature indicates that the five populations of wild relatives of maize in this region of Santa Catarina belong to the botanical species Zea luxurians.