The effect of FokI vitamin D receptor polymorphism on bone mineral density in Jordanian perimenopausal women

CONTEXT:

Osteoporosis is a polygenic, multifactorial disease that is characterized by demineralization of bone, and thus presented with decreasing bone mineral mass. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms in the 3’-end region (as determined by the enzymes BsmI and ApaI) have been inconsistently associated with bone mineral mass. Another important VDR start codon polymorphism (as determined by the enzyme FokI) has been found to be related to adult bone mineral density (BMD) in pre-and post-menopausal American women.

AIMS:

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of the FokI VDR gene polymorphism in Jordanian perimenopausal women and study its relationship with bone mineral density.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

DNA was isolated from 90 controls (Mean age = 50.41 ± 1.29 y), and 120 patients with symptomatic vertebral fractures (Mean age = 49.14 ± 3.19 y). Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of FokI was performed on DNA samples.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Data was analyzed using SPSS v19 and Microsoft Excel 2007.

RESULTS:

The results showed that in controls, the FF (−0.70 ± 0.51) genotype is associated with high lumbar spine BMD Z-score as compared to Ff (−1.25 ± 0.26) and ff (−1.66 ± 0.47) genotypes (P = 0.0095). In patients, the ff genotype was associated with lower lumbar spine BMD in T-score (−2.31 ± 0.17) and Z-score (−1.56 ± 0.09) genotypes (P = 0.031). No significant association was seen in the femoral neck BMD.

CONCLUSION:

FokI polymorphism may be associated with low BMD in our studied population; however, further studies including other polymorphisms and large sample number are needed.     

Significance of neutrophil microparticles in ischaemia‐reperfusion: Pro‐inflammatory effectors of endothelial senescence and vascular dysfunction

Endothelial senescence is an emerging cause of vascular dysfunction. Because microparticles are effectors of endothelial inflammation and vascular injury after ischaemia‐reperfusion, we examined leucocyte‐derived microparticles of spleen origin as possible contributors. Microparticles were generated from primary rat splenocytes by either lipopolysaccharide or phorbol‐myristate‐acetate/calcium ionophore, under conditions mimicking innate and adaptive immune responses. Incubation of primary porcine coronary endothelial cells with either type of microparticles, but not with those from unstimulated splenocytes, leads to a similar threefold raise in senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase activity within 48 hours, indicating accelerated senescence, to endothelial oxidative stress, and a fivefold and threefold increase in p21 and p16 senescence markers after 24 hours. After 12‐hour incubation, the endothelial‐dependent relaxation of coronary artery rings was reduced by 50%, at distinct optimal microparticle concentration. In vitro, microparticles were pro‐thrombotic by up‐regulating the local angiotensin system, by prompting tissue factor activity and a secondary generation of pro‐coagulant endothelial microparticles. They initiated an early pro‐inflammatory response by inducing phosphorylation of NF‐κB, MAP kinases and Akt after 1 hour, and up‐regulated VCAM‐1 and ICAM‐1 at 24 hours. Accordingly, VCAM‐1 and COX‐2 were also up‐regulated in the coronary artery endothelium and eNOS down‐regulated. Lipopolysaccharide specifically favoured the shedding of neutrophil‐ and monocyte‐derived microparticles. A 80% immuno‐depletion of neutrophil microparticles reduced endothelial senescence by 55%, indicating a key role. Altogether, data suggest that microparticles from activated splenocytes prompt early pro‐inflammatory, pro‐coagulant and pro‐senescent responses in endothelial cells through redox‐sensitive pathways. The control of neutrophil shedding could preserve the endothelium at site of ischaemia‐reperfusion–driven inflammation and delay its dysfunction.     

Predicting lung maturity in preterm rupture of membranes via lamellar bodies count from a vaginal pool: a cohort study

Background  

Amniocentesis is the accepted mode of attaining amniotic fluid to perform tests for fetal lung maturity. The purpose of this study was to validate a non-invasive fetal lung maturity test by counting lamellar bodies from a vaginal pool among women with preterm premature rupture of membranes.     

Absence of nonlinear responses in cells and tissues exposed to RF energy at mobile phone frequencies using a doubly resonant cavity

A doubly resonant cavity was used to search for nonlinear radiofrequency (RF) energy conversion in a range of biological preparations, thereby testing the hypothesis that living tissue can demodulate RF carriers and generate baseband signals. The samples comprised high‐density cell suspensions (human lymphocytes and mouse bone marrow cells); adherent cells (IMR‐32 human neuroblastoma, G361 human melanoma, HF‐19 human fibroblasts, N2a murine neuroblastoma (differentiated and non‐differentiated) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells) and thin sections or slices of mouse tissues (brain, kidney, muscle, liver, spleen, testis, heart and diaphragm). Viable and non‐viable (heat killed or metabolically impaired) samples were tested. Over 500 cell and tissue samples were placed within the cavity, exposed to continuous wave (CW) fields at the resonant frequency (f) of the loaded cavity (near 883 MHz) using input powers of 0.1 or 1 mW, and monitored for second harmonic generation by inspection of the output at 2f. Unwanted signals were minimised using low pass filters (≤1 GHz) at the input to, and high pass filters (≥1 GHz) at the output from, the cavity. A tuned low noise amplifier allowed detection of second harmonic signals above a noise floor as low as −169 dBm. No consistent second harmonic of the incident CW signals was detected. Therefore, these results do not support the hypothesis that living cells can demodulate RF energy, since second harmonic generation is the necessary and sufficient condition for demodulation. Bioelectromagnetics 31:556–565, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Use of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to evaluate vaccine efficacy against pneumonia

Background

Pneumonia remains the leading cause of death in young children. The poor specificity of chest radiographs (CXRs) to diagnose pneumococcal pneumonia may underestimate the efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in preventing pneumococcal pneumonia.

Methods and Findings

The efficacy of nine-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine among children not infected with HIV (21%; 95% confidence interval, 1%–37%) increased when CXR-confirmed pneumonia was associated with serum C-reactive protein of 120 mg/l (12mg/dl) or more and procalcitonin of 5.0 ng/ml or more (64%; 95% confidence interval, 23%–83%). Similar results were observed in children infected with HIV.

Conclusion

C-reactive protein and procalcitonin improve the specificity of CXR to diagnose pneumococcal pneumonia and may be useful for the future evaluation of the effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in preventing pneumococcal pneumonia.     

Apical Ballooning Syndrome: A Complication of Dual Chamber Pacemaker Implantation

Apical ballooning is a cardiac syndrome (Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy) described as a typical form of acute transient left ventricular dysfunction. While its onset has often been associated with emotionally or physically stressful situations, it has an overall favorable prognosis. We describe here a case of transient apical ballooning following permanent pacemaker implantation.     

A radiation hybrid map of chromosome 1D reveals synteny conservation at a wheat speciation locus

The species cytoplasm specific (scs) genes affect nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions in interspecific hybrids. A radiation hybrid (RH) mapping population of 188 individuals was employed to refine the location of the scs ^ae locus on Triticum aestivum chromosome 1D. “Wheat Zapper,” a comparative genomics tool, was used to predict synteny between wheat chromosome 1D, Oryza sativa, Brachypodium distachyon, and Sorghum bicolor. A total of 57 markers were developed based on synteny or literature and genotyped to produce a RH map spanning 205.2 cR. A test-cross methodology was devised for phenotyping of RH progenies, and through forward genetic, the scs ^ae locus was pinpointed to a 1.1 Mb-segment containing eight genes. Further, the high resolution provided by RH mapping, combined with chromosome-wise synteny analysis, located the ancestral point of fusion between the telomeric and centromeric repeats of two paleochromosomes that originated chromosome 1D. Also, it indicated that the centromere of this chromosome is likely the result of a neocentromerization event, rather than the conservation of an ancestral centromere as previously believed. Interestingly, location of scs locus in the vicinity of paleofusion is not associated with the expected disruption of synteny, but rather with a good degree of conservation across grass species. Indeed, these observations advocate the evolutionary importance of this locus as suggested by “Maan’s scs hypothesis.”     

Disproportionate thermophysiological strain between intensively- and extensively-managed goats during summer

Goat keeping is feasible for smallholder farmers in many world regions especially those best suited for extensive management. However, summertime grazing in arid zones entails major challenges to animal thermoregulation and well-being. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the thermoregulatory performance and selected hemogramic parameters in intensively (INT) or extensively (EXT) managed goat kids (N = 14). We applied a previously established technique to evaluate body thermal state of freely ranging animals, in which contemporaneous temperatures of the core (T_c) and periphery (T_p) are chronically recorded. Animals were initially kept for 12 days under INT management. Subsequently, seven animals were transferred to a grazing pasture and gradually transitioned over a four-day acclimatization period, then kept for the last 22 days under EXT conditions. Water drinking was limited to twice daily in both groups. Excessive solar radiation-induced heat load – with daytime black globe temperatures (T_bg) often exceeding 40 °C – under EXT was primarily responsible (r² = 0.49; P < 0.05) for 0.57 and 1.72 °C rises in T_c and T_p, respectively, over INT kids. Unlike the typically biphasic pattern noticed for daily temperatures of both body sites in INT goats, that of EXT counterparts became rather polyphasic, whereby water drinking had drastic and prolonged thermolytic effect, inducing 0.40–0.41 and 0.79–1.45 °C declines in T_c and T_p, on midday and afternoon watering bouts, respectively. Despite indication for added daytime heat load, EXT goats displayed lower early morning T_c than INT. All animals exhibited hypohydration, as reflected by rises in hematocrit, serum osmolality, albumin, potassium, and sodium, being more pronounced in EXT conditions. Results emphasize the excessive thermophysiological strain facing grazing animals in arid zones during the summer.