Risk factors of peripheral arterial disease: a case control study in Sri Lanka

Background

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an important global health problem and contributes to notable proportion of morbidity and mortality. This particular manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis is largely under diagnosed and undertreated. For sustainable preventive strategies in a country, it is mandatory to identify country-specific risk factors. We intended to assess the risk factors of PAD among adults aged 40–74 years.

Methods

This case control study was conducted in 2012–2013 in Sri Lanka. Seventy-nine cases and 158 controls in the age group of 40–74 years were selected for the study in order to have case to control ratio 1:2. The criterion for selecting cases and control was based on Ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI). Cases were selected from those who had ABPI 0.85 or less (ABPI ≤0.85) in either lower limb. Controls were selected from those ABPI score between 1.18 and 1.28 in both lower limbs. Only newly identified individuals with PAD were selected as cases. Controls were selected from the same geographical location and within the 5 year age group as cases.

Results

The history of diabetes mellitus more than 10 years (OR 5.8, 95% CI 2.2–14.2), history of dyslipidemia for more than 10 years (OR 4.9, 95% CI 2.1–16.2), history of hypertension for more than 10 years (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.8–12.7) and smoking (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2–6.9), elevated HsCRP (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.2–12.0) and hyperhomocysteinemia (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.1–8.1) were revealed as country specific significant risk factor of PAD.

Conclusions

Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking as well as elevated homocysteine and HsCRP found as risk factors of PAD. Longer the duration or higher level exposure to these risk factors has increased the risk of PAD. These findings emphasis the need for routine screening of PAD among patients with the identified risk factors.

     

The role of fish-poultry integration on fish growth performance,yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa,Tanzania

Aquaculture practices from sub-Saharan Africa are characterised by low production, owing to improper technology. Production can be increased through integrating fish farming with other existing on-farm activities, particularly livestock husbandry. We assessed the role of fish-poultry integration on all male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus growth performance, yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania. The study also compared phytoplankton species composition, abundance and biomass between the fish-poultry integration and non-integrated system. After 180 days of the experiment, all male O. niloticus cultured under fish-poultry integration exhibited significantly higher growth rates than those in the non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Gross fish yield (GFY), net fish yield (NFY) and net annual yields (NAY) obtained from fish-poultry integration were significantly higher than those from non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Partial enterprise budget analysis revealed that fish-poultry integration was more profitable than the non-integrated system. Moreover, fish-poultry integrated system produced significantly higher phytoplankton abundance and biomass than those from the non-integrated system. Results demonstrate that rural smallholder farmers can achieve higher growth rate, farm net yields and income by integrating all male O. niloticus with other on-farm activities than practising a stand-alone fish culture system.     

Geographical variation in ribotype profiles of Escherichia coli isolates from humans,swine, poultry,beef, and dairy cattle in Florida

Waters impacted by fecal pollution can exact high risks to human health and can result in financial losses due to closures of water systems used for recreation and for harvesting seafood. Identifying the sources of fecal pollution in water is paramount in assessing the potential human health risks involved as well as in assessing necessary remedial action. Recently, various researchers have used the ribotyping method to identify sources of bacterial indicators (Escherichia coli and enterococci) in environmental waters. While these studies have identified genotypic differences between human- and animal-derived indicators that are capable of differentiating organisms isolated from humans and various animal hosts, most have focused on organisms collected from a confined geographic area and have not addressed the question of whether these ribotype profiles are watershed specific or if they can be applied universally to organisms from other geographic locations. In this study, E. coli isolates were obtained from humans, beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, and poultry from locations in northern, central, and southern Florida and were subjected to ribotyping analysis. The intent was to determine (i) if ribotype profiles are capable of discriminating the source of E. coli at the host species level and (ii) if the resulting fingerprints are uniform over an extended geographic area or if they can be applied only to a specific watershed. Our research indicated that, using a single restriction enzyme (HindIII), the ribotyping procedure is not capable of differentiating E. coli isolates from the different animal species sampled in this study. Results indicate, however, that this procedure can still be used effectively to differentiate E. coli as being either human or animal derived when applied to organisms isolated from a large geographic region.     

Influence of Salts on Virus Adsorption to Microporous Filters

We investigated the direct and indirect effects of mono-, di-, and trivalent salts (NaCl, MgCl₂, and AlCl₃) on the adsorption of several viruses (MS2, PRD-1, X174, and poliovirus 1) to microporous filters at different pH values. The filters studied included Millipore HA (nitrocellulose), Filterite (fiberglass), Whatman (cellulose), and 1MDS (charged-modified fiber) filters. Each of these filters except the Whatman cellulose filters has been used in virus removal and recovery procedures. The direct effects of added salts were considered to be the effects associated with the presence of the soluble salts. The indirect effects of the added salts were considered to be (i) changes in the pH values of solutions and (ii) the formation of insoluble precipitates that could adsorb viruses and be removed by filtration. When direct effects alone were considered, the salts used in this study promoted virus adsorption, interfered with virus adsorption, or had little or no effect on virus adsorption, depending on the filter, the virus, and the salt. Although we were able to confirm previous reports that the addition of aluminum chloride to water enhances virus adsorption to microporous filters, we found that the enhanced adsorption was associated with indirect effects rather than direct effects. The increase in viral adsorption observed when aluminum chloride was added to water was related to the decrease in the pH of the water. Similar results could be obtained by adding HCl. The increased adsorption of viruses in water at pH 7 following addition of aluminum chloride was probably due to flocculation of aluminum, since removal of flocs by filtration greatly reduced the enhancement observed. The only direct effect of aluminum chloride on virus adsorption that we observed was interference with adsorption to microporous filters. Under conditions under which hydrophobic interactions were minimal, aluminum chloride interfered with virus adsorption to Millipore, Filterite, and 1MDS filters. In most cases, less than 10% of the viruses adsorbed to filters in the presence of a multivalent salt and a compound that interfered with hydrophobic interactions (0.1% Tween 80 or 4 M urea).     

The structure of the coiled-coil domain of Ndel1 and the basis of its interaction with Lis1, the causal protein of Miller-Dieker lissencephaly

Ndel1 and Nde1 are homologous and evolutionarily conserved proteins, with critical roles in cell division, neuronal migration, and other physiological phenomena. These functions are dependent on their interactions with the retrograde microtubule motor dynein and with its regulator Lis1--a product of the causal gene for isolated lissencephaly sequence (ILS) and Miller-Dieker lissencephaly. The molecular basis of the interactions of Ndel1 and Nde1 with Lis1 is not known. Here, we present a crystallographic study of two fragments of the coiled-coil domain of Ndel1, one of which reveals contiguous high-quality electron density for residues 10-166, the longest such structure reported by X-ray diffraction at high resolution. Together with complementary solution studies, our structures reveal how the Ndel1 coiled coil forms a stable parallel homodimer and suggest mechanisms by which the Lis1-interacting domain can be regulated to maintain a conformation in which two supercoiled alpha helices cooperatively bind to a Lis1 homodimer.     

Ligand-dependent differences in estrogen receptor beta-interacting proteins identified in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponds to estrogenic responses

Background

A recent epidemiological study demonstrated a reduced risk of lung cancer mortality in breast cancer patients using antiestrogens. These and other data implicate a role for estrogens in lung cancer, particularly nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Approximately 61% of human NSCLC tumors express nuclear estrogen receptor β (ERβ); however, the role of ERβ and estrogens in NSCLC is likely to be multifactorial. Here we tested the hypothesis that proteins interacting with ERβ in human lung adenocarcinoma cells that respond proliferatively to estradiol (E₂) are distinct from those in non-E₂-responsive cells.

Methods

FLAG affinity purification of FLAG-ERβ-interacting proteins was used to isolate ERβ-interacting proteins in whole cell extracts from E₂ proliferative H1793 and non-E₂-proliferative A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Following trypsin digestion, proteins were identified using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Proteomic data were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Select results were confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation.

Results

LC-MS/MS identified 27 non-redundant ERβ-interacting proteins. ERβ-interacting proteins included hsp70, hsp60, vimentin, histones and calmodulin. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of the ERβ-interacting proteins revealed differences in molecular and functional networks between H1793 and A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments in these and other lung adenocarcinoma cells confirmed that ERβ and EGFR interact in a gender-dependent manner and in response to E₂ or EGF. BRCA1 interacted with ERβ in A549 cell lines and in human lung adenocarcinoma tumors, but not normal lung tissue.

Conclusion

Our results identify specific differences in ERβ-interacting proteins in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponding to ligand-dependent differences in estrogenic responses.

     

Indicator microbes correlate with pathogenic bacteria, yeasts and helminthes in sand at a subtropical recreational beach site

Aims: Research into the relationship between pathogens, faecal indicator microbes and environmental factors in beach sand has been limited, yet vital to the understanding of the microbial relationship between sand and the water column and to the improvement of criteria for better human health protection at beaches. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the presence and distribution of pathogens in various zones of beach sand (subtidal, intertidal and supratidal) and to assess their relationship with environmental parameters and indicator microbes at a non‐point source subtropical marine beach. Methods and Results: In this exploratory study in subtropical Miami (Florida, USA), beach sand samples were collected and analysed over the course of 6 days for several pathogens, microbial source tracking markers and indicator microbes. An inverse correlation between moisture content and most indicator microbes was found. Significant associations were identified between some indicator microbes and pathogens (such as nematode larvae and yeasts in the genus Candida), which are from classes of microbes that are rarely evaluated in the context of recreational beach use. Conclusions: Results indicate that indicator microbes may predict the presence of some of the pathogens, in particular helminthes, yeasts and the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin‐resistant forms. Indicator microbes may thus be useful for monitoring beach sand and water quality at non‐point source beaches. Significance and Impact of the Study: The presence of both indicator microbes and pathogens in beach sand provides one possible explanation for human health effects reported at non‐point sources beaches.     

Level of daily physical activity in individuals with COPD compared with healthy controls

Background

Persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), performing some level of regular physical activity, have a lower risk of both COPD-related hospital admissions and mortality. COPD patients of all stages seem to benefit from exercise training programs, thereby improving with respect to both exercise tolerance and symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue. Physical inactivity, which becomes more severe with increasing age, is a point of concern in healthy older adults. COPD might worsen this scenario, but it is unclear to what degree. This literature review aims to present the extent of the impact of COPD on objectively-measured daily physical activity (DPA). The focus is on the extent of the impact that COPD has on duration, intensity, and counts of DPA, as well as whether the severity of the disease has an additional influence on DPA.

Results

A literature review was performed in the databases PubMed [MEDLINE], Picarta, PEDRO, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google scholar. After screening, 11 studies were identified as being relevant for comparison between COPD patients and healthy controls with respect to duration, intensity, and counts of DPA. Four more studies were found to be relevant to address the subject of the influence the severity of the disease may have on DPA. The average percentage of DPA of COPD patients vs. healthy control subjects for duration was 57%, for intensity 75%, and for activity counts 56%. Correlations of DPA and severity of the disease were low and/or not significant.

Conclusions

From the results of this review, it appears that patients with COPD have a significantly reduced duration, intensity, and counts of DPA when compared to healthy control subjects. The intensity of DPA seems to be less affected by COPD than duration and counts. Judging from the results, it seems that severity of COPD is not strongly correlated with level of DPA. Future research should focus in more detail on the relation between COPD and duration, intensity, and counts of DPA, as well as the effect of disease severity on DPA, so that these relations become more understandable.     

GObar: A Gene Ontology based analysis and visualization tool for gene sets

Background  

Microarray experiments, as well as other genomic analyses, often result in large gene sets containing up to several hundred genes. The biological significance of such sets of genes is, usually, not readily apparent.