Susceptibility to toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is associated with HLA alleles reported to be implicated with rapid progression to AIDS

Background/aims: The frequency of HLA markers associated with rapid progression to AIDS was evaluated in Brazilian patients with AIDS exhibiting or not toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis (TRC). Methods: 98 AIDS patients (25 with TRC, 43 with anti-T. gondii antibodies but without TCR, and 30 without anti-T. gondii antibodies and without TCR) were studied. Results: The HLA-B35 was significantly increased in TRC group (p = 0.0038). Conclusion: The presence of HLA-B35 may simultaneously predispose to progression to AIDS and TRC.

Thalidomide plus dexamethasone as a maintenance therapy after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation improves progression-free survival in multiple myeloma

Despite the good response of stem cell transplant (SCT) in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), most patients relapse or do not achieve complete remission, suggesting that additional treatment is needed. We assessed the impact of thalidomide in maintenance after SCT in untreated patients with MM. A hundred and eight patients (<70 years old) were randomized to receive maintenance with dexamethasone (arm A; n = 52) or dexamethasone with thalidomide (arm B; n = 56; 200 mg daily) for 12 months or until disease progression. After a median follow-up of 27 months, an intention to treat analysis showed a 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 30% in arm A (95% CI 2238) and 64% in arm B (95% CI 5771; P = 0.002), with median PFS of 19 months and 36 months, respectively. In patients who did not achieve at least a very good partial response, the PFS at 2 years was significantly higher when in use of thalidomide (19 vs. 59%; P = 0.002). Overall survival at 2 years was not significantly improved (70 vs. 85% in arm A and arm B, respectively; P = 0.27). The addition of thalidomide to dexamethasone as maintenance improved the PFS mainly in patients who did not respond to treatment after SCT. Am. J. Hematol. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Arthrospira platensis biomass with high protein content cultivated in continuous process using urea as nitrogen source

Aims: Arthrospira platensis has been studied for single-cell protein production because of its biomass composition and its ability of growing in alternative media. This work evaluated the effects of different dilution rates (D) and urea concentrations (N0) on A.similar to platensis continuous culture, in terms of growth, kinetic parameters, biomass composition and nitrogen removal. Methods and results: Arthrospira platensis was continuously cultivated in a glass-made vertical column photobioreactor agitated with Rushton turbines. There were used different dilution rates (0.040.44 day-1) and urea concentrations (0.5 and 5 mmol l-1). With N0 = 5 mmol l-1, the maximum steady-state biomass concentration was1415 mg l-1, achieved with D = 0.04 day-1, but the highest protein content (71.9%) was obtained by applying D = 0.12 day-1, attaining a protein productivity of 106.41 mg l-1 day-1. Nitrogen removal reached 99% on steady-state conditions. Conclusions: The best results were achieved by applying N0 = 5 mmol l-1; however, urea led to inhibitory conditions at D = 0.16 day-1, inducing the system wash-out. The agitation afforded satisfactory mixture and did not harm the trichomes structure. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results can enhance the basis for the continuous removal of nitrogenous wastewater pollutants using cyanobacteria, with an easily assembled photobioreactor.

Fast detection of the magnetic easy axis on steel sheet using the continuous rotational Barkhausen method

The magnetic behaviour of most commercial ferromagnetic steels is usually anisotropic presenting a magnetic easy axis. Changes in the direction of this axis can be related to mechanical changes and anomalies that occur in the fabrication process. The present work describes a method that uses a device with permanent magnets to create a precise rotational magnetic field. The device measures continuous Magnetic Barkhausen Noise signals related to the angle of magnetization, in order to determine the direction of the macroscopic magnetic easy axis. It also offers the possibility of obtaining real time parameters that quantify the magnetic anisotropy of the sample. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Glucose Control in Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Pilot Randomized Study Controlled by Continuous Glucose Monitoring System Comparing the Use of Insulin Glargine with Standard of Care

Background: This pilot study aimed to verify if glycemic control can be achieved in type 2 diabetes patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), using insulin glargine (iGlar) associated with regular insulin (iReg), compared with the standard intensive care unit protocol, which uses continuous insulin intravenous delivery followed by NPH insulin and iReg (St. Care). Patients and Methods: Patients (n = 20) within 24 h of AMI were randomized to iGlar or St. Care. Therapy was guided exclusively by capillary blood glucose (CBG), but glucometric parameters were also analyzed by blinded continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS). Results: Mean glycemia was 141 +/- 39 mg/dL for St. Care and 132 +/- 42 mg/dL for iGlar by CBG or 138 +/- 35 mg/dL for St. Care and 129 +/- 34 mg/dL for iGlar by CGMS. Percentage of time in range (80-180 mg/dL) by CGMS was 73 +/- 18% for iGlar and 77 +/- 11% for St. Care. No severe hypoglycemia (<= 40 mg/dL) was detected by CBG, but CGMS indicated 11 (St. Care) and seven (iGlar) excursions in four subjects from each group, mostly in sulfonylurea users (six of eight patients). Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that equivalent glycemic control without increase in severe hyperglycemia may be achieved using iGlar with background iReg. Data outputs were controlled by both CBG and CGMS measurements in a real-life setting to ensure reliability. Based on CGMS measurements, there were significant numbers of glycemic excursions outside of the target range. However, this was not detected by CBG. In addition, the data indicate that previous use of sulfonylurea may be a potential major risk factor for severe hypoglycemia irrespective of the type of insulin treatment.

The use of nasal dilator strips as a placebo for trials evaluating continuous positive airway pressure

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current study was to compare the objective and subjective effects of continuous positive airway pressure to the use of nasal dilator strips in patients with acromegaly and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. METHODS: We studied 12 patients with acromegaly and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (male/females = 8/4, age = 52 +/- 8 ys, body mass index = 33.5 +/- 4.6 Kg/m(2), apnea-hypopnea index = 38 +/- 14 events/h) who had been included in a randomized, crossover study to receive three months of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure and nasal dilator strips. All patients were evaluated at study entry and at the end of each treatment by polysomnography, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and treatment satisfaction questionnaires. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01265121 RESULTS: The apnea-hypopnea index values decreased significantly with continuous positive airway pressure treatment but did not change with the use of nasal dilator strips. All of the subjective symptoms improved with both treatments, but these improvements were significantly greater with continuous positive airway pressure than with the nasal dilator strips. CONCLUSION: The use of nasal dilator strips had a much smaller effect on the severity of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with acromegaly and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in comparison to the use of continuous positive airway pressure. Moreover, the improvement in several subjective parameters without any significant objective improvement in obstructive sleep apnea resulting from the use of nasal dilator strips is compatible with a placebo effect.

MMP3 and TIMP1 variants contribute to chronic periodontitis and may be implicated in disease progression

Aim Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play a key role in the tissue destruction characteristic of chronic periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of MMP and TIMP polymorphisms with chronic periodontitis in two populations. Material and Methods A total of 34 polymorphisms spanning 12 MMP and 2 TIMP genes were genotyped in 401 individuals from Brazil (99 cases with chronic periodontitis and 302 controls), and 274 individuals from the US (70 cases and 204 controls). Individuals were considered cases if presenting at least three teeth exhibiting sites of clinical attachment loss =5 mm in two different quadrants. Controls were characterized by absence of clinical attachment loss and no sites with probing depth >3 mm. MMP3 and TIMP1 mRNA expression was evaluated in healthy and diseased periodontal tissues. Results TIMP1 showed association with chronic periodontitis in the Brazilian population (for rs5906435, p = 0.0004), whereas MMP3 showed association in the US population (for rs679620, p = 0.0003; and rs650108, p = 0.002) and in the Brazilian population (for rs639752, p = 0.005). MMP3 and TIMP1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in diseased tissues when compared to control tissues. Conclusions Our results further support a role for variations in MMP3 in chronic periodontitis and report a novel association with TIMP1. These genes may be considered additional candidate genes for chronic periodontitis.

Continuous-wave watt-level Nd:YLF/KGW Raman laser operating at near-IR, yellow and lime-green wavelengths

A Nd:YLF/KGW Raman laser has been investigated in this work. We have demonstrated CW output powers at six different wavelengths, 1147 nm (0.70 W), 1163 nm (0.95 W), 549 nm (0.65 W), 552 nm (1.90 W), 573 nm (0.60 W) and 581 nm (1.10 W), with higher peak powers achieved under quasi-CW operation. Raman conversion of the 1053 nm fundamental emission is reported for the first time, enabling two new wavelengths in crystalline Raman lasers, 549 nm and 552 nm. The weak thermal lensing associated with Nd:YLF has enabled to achieve good beam quality, M-2 <= 2.0, and stable operation in relatively long cavities. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

Fluoride plus CO2 laser against the progression of caries in root dentin

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) gel combined with CO2 laser in protecting carious root dentin against further cariogenic challenges. Methods: After a 7-day lead-in period, 12 volunteers wore an intraoral palatal device containing four carious root dentin slabs, treated with APF and APF+CO2 or placebo and placebo+CO2. After a 14-day wash-out period, volunteers were crossed-over to the other treatment arm. During both intraoral phases, specimens were submitted to cariogenic challenges and then evaluated for cross-sectional Knoop microhardness. Results: Two-way ANOVA demonstrated that there was significant effect for both main factors: CO2 laser irradiation (P< 0.0001) and gel treatment (P< 0.0001), and that there was no interaction between them (P= 0.4706). Protection of carious root dentin against further cariogenic challenges may be provided by APF fluoride gel and CO2 laser, but no additive benefit was found by combining such strategies. (Am J Dent 2012;25:114-117).