The multiple autoimmune syndromes. A clue for the autoimmune tautology

The multiple autoimmune syndromes (MAS) consist on the presence of three or more well-defined autoimmune diseases (ADs) in a single patient. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of a large series of patients with MAS. A cluster analysis and familial aggregation analysis of ADs was performed in 84 patients. A genome-wide microsatellite screen was performed in MAS families, and associated loci were investigated through the pedigree disequilibrium test. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), and Sjögren's syndrome together were the most frequent ADs encountered. Three main clusters were established. Aggregation for type 1 diabetes, AITD, SLE, and all ADs as a trait was found. Eight loci associated with MAS were observed harboring autoimmunity genes. The MAS represent the best example of polyautoimmunity as well as the effect of a single genotype on diverse phenotypes. Its study provides important clues to elucidate the common mechanisms of ADs (i.e., autoimmune tautology). © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012.

Distribution patterns of infection with multiple types of human papillomaviruses and their association with risk factors

Background: Infection with multiple types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the main risk factors associated with the development of cervical lesions. In this study, cervical samples collected from 1,810 women with diverse sociocultural backgrounds, who attended to their cervical screening program in different geographical regions of Colombia, were examined for the presence of cervical lesions and HPV by Papanicolau testing and DNA PCR detection, respectively. Principal Findings: The negative binomial distribution model used in this study showed differences between the observed and expected values within some risk factor categories analyzed. Particularly in the case of single infection and coinfection with more than 4 HPV types, observed frequencies were smaller than expected, while the number of women infected with 2 to 4 viral types were higher than expected. Data analysis according to a negative binomial regression showed an increase in the risk of acquiring more HPV types in women who were of indigenous ethnicity (+37.8%), while this risk decreased in women who had given birth more than 4 times (-31.1%), or were of mestizo (-24.6%) or black (-40.9%) ethnicity. Conclusions: According to a theoretical probability distribution, the observed number of women having either a single infection or more than 4 viral types was smaller than expected, while for those infected with 2-4 HPV types it was larger than expected. Taking into account that this study showed a higher HPV coinfection rate in the indigenous ethnicity, the role of underlying factors should be assessed in detail in future studies.

Mnesic performance and executive functions in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)

The Episodic Memory (EM) and the Executive Functions (EF) are cognitive areas that are affected in patients with diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Nowadays there exists scarce works destined to explore the infl uence of the EF on measures of mnesic performance in MS. For this reason, we analyze the effect of the EF on the performance in a set of memory measures. We worked with a clinical group (n=36) and with a control group (n=36) compared by age and educational level. The results show that the clinical group obtained significantly low average values in all the mnesic indexes (with exception of recognition) and in all the executive measures. All the executive indexes showed significant associations with some of the indexes of mnesic performance. These findings suggest that the problems in the episodic memory in EM patients could be analyzed as the manifestation of a global disorder that could be similar to the one that involves the EF. 

Multiple sclerosis: evidence and controversies

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. The pharmacological treatment of multiple sclerosis has been evaluated with multiple controlled clinical trials that allow the clinician to count with evidence based information to decide the more indicated treatment for each patient. Methodology: A review of the scientific literature was conducted to clarify controversial issues in a clinical relevant topic. Development: The diagnostic criteria and different treatments available are reviewed, in order to consider the clinical utility of the disease modifying agents such as the immunomodulatory treatments. The three used types of interferon are well tolerated and reduce in approximately a third the number of bouts in the remitent recurrent form; there is no significant difference between the three of them.

Conflict, wages, and multiple equilibria

Firms’ compensation practices affect the protection of investors’ interests and the degree of economic inequality by changing the stakes of engaging in appropriation activities versus respecting the status quo. We use a general equilibrium model where workers can either work peacefully or join a guerrilla movement that expropriates entrepreneurs. If workers are peaceful, they receive a competitive wage. If they join a guerrilla movement, they receive a share of the appropriated wealth, which depends positively on the number of guerrilla members. In this framework, we find one low-income, low-wage equilibrium with guerrilla activity and one peaceful, high-income, high-wage equilibrium. The peaceful equilibrium can be reached through redistribution policies, which can be implemented at the firm level. In essence, through their compensation policies entrepreneurs, not the state might be able to protect their assets against expropriation and simultaneously control the internal principal-agent problem.