Formal speech stylistics and type A behavior in 38 subjects during nonstress interviews

Open-ended interviews of 90 min length of 38 patients were analyzed with respect to speech stylistics, shown by Schucker and Jacobs to differentiate individuals with type A personality features from those with type B. In our patients, Type A/B had been assessed by the Bortner Personality Inventory. The stylistics studied were: repeated words swallowed words, interruptions, simultaneous speech, silence latency (between question and answer) (SL), speed of speech, uneven speed of speech (USS), explosive words (PW), uneven speech volume (USV), and speech volume. Correlations between both raters for all speech categories were high. Positive correlations between extent of type A and SL (r = 0.33; p = 0.022), USS (r = 0.51; p = 0.002), PW (r = 0.46; p = 0.003) and USV (r = 0.39; p = 0.012) were found. Our results indicate that the speech in nonstress open-ended interviews of type A individuals tends to show a higher emotional tension (positive correlations for USS PW and USV) and is more controlled in conversation (positive correlation for SL).

FoxP3 positive T cells in graft biopsies from living donor kidney transplants after donor-specific transfusions

Donor-specific transfusions (DST) induce allograft tolerance in animals. Evidence is growing that FoxP3+ regulatory T cells are associated with tolerance in humans. Forty-four biopsies from 69 living donor kidney transplant recipients (LDT) after DST, 53 biopsies from 69 matched deceased donor transplant recipients (DDT), obtained for graft dysfunction, and 12 biopsies from LDT without DST were retrospectively analyzed. FoxP3 positivity was more frequent in LDT/DST than in DDT biopsies (67% vs. 44%, P=0.02). Considering only biopsies with acute rejection, FoxP3 positivity was observed in 92% (11/12) after LDT/DST, but only in 50% (6/12) after DDT (P=0.03). The number of FoxP3+ T cells per total infiltrating cells in rejection biopsies was higher (P<0.05) from LDT/DST (4.1%) than from DDT or LDT (2.6%) without DST (2.5%). Six-year graft survival was better in patients with LDT/DST than with DDT (87.5% vs. 79.7%, P=0.04). The present investigation demonstrates an association between DST and FoxP3+ T cells. The effect of DST on regulatory T cells deserves further analysis in transplantation.

Scleroderma Renal Crisis: A Rare but Severe Complication of Systemic Sclerosis

Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a major complication in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). It is characterized by malignant hypertension and oligo/anuric acute renal failure. SRC occurs in 5% of patients with SSc, particularly in the first years of disease evolution and in the diffuse form. The occurrence of SRC is more common in patients treated with glucocorticoids, the risk increasing with increasing dose. Left ventricular insufficiency and hypertensive encephalopathy are typical clinical features. Thrombotic microangiopathy is detected in 43% of the cases. Anti-RNA-polymerase III antibodies are present in one third of patients who develop SRC. Renal biopsy is not necessary if SRC presents with classical features. However, it can help to define prognosis and guide treatment in atypical forms. The prognosis of SRC has dramatically improved with the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi). However, 5 years survival in SSc patients who develop the full picture of SRC remains low (65%). SRC is often triggered by nephrotoxic drugs and/or intravascular volume depletion. The treatment of SRC relies on aggressive control of blood pressure with ACEi, if needed in combination with other types of antihypertensive drugs. Dialysis is frequently indicated, but can be stopped in approximately half of patients, mainly in those for whom a perfect control of blood pressure is obtained. Patients who need dialysis for more than 2 years qualify for renal transplantation.

Prolonged platelet activation in individuals with elevated blood pressure in response to a moderate exercise challenge

We examined the magnitude of 20-min moderate exercise-induced platelet activation in 50 volunteers with normal (n=31) or elevated blood pressure (EBP; n=19). Blood was drawn before, immediately after, and 25 min after exercise. Antibody-staining for platelet activation markers, P-selectin, and fibrinogen receptors was done with and without adenosine diphosphate (ADP) stimulation in whole blood for flow cytometric analyses. Exercise led to increases in percent aggregated platelets and percent platelets expressing P-selectin or PAC-1 binding (ps< or =.001). This increase in percent platelets expressing P-selectin continued even after a 25-min rest only in the EBP group (p< or =.01) accompanied by an increase in percent of aggregated platelets (p< or =.05). Although ADP stimulation led to increased platelet activation at rest, it was attenuated following exercise, even among EBP individuals. A moderate exercise challenge induced prolonged platelet activation in individuals with EBP but attenuation in activation to further stimulation by an agonist. Findings suggest that a recovery period after physical stress appears critical in individuals with high BP regarding platelet activation and aggregation, which can lead to an acute coronary syndrome in vulnerable individuals.

Global biomass burning: a synthesis and review of Holocene paleofire records and their controls

We synthesize existing sedimentary charcoal records to reconstruct Holocene fire history at regional, continental and global scales. The reconstructions are compared with the two potential controls of burning at these broad scales – changes in climate and human activities – to assess their relative importance on trends in biomass burning. Here we consider several hypotheses that have been advanced to explain the Holocene record of fire, including climate, human activities and synergies between the two. Our results suggest that 1) episodes of high fire activity were relatively common in the early Holocene and were consistent with climate changes despite low global temperatures and low levels of biomass burning globally; 2) there is little evidence from the paleofire record to support the Early Anthropocene Hypothesis of human modification of the global carbon cycle; 3) there was a nearly-global increase in fire activity from 3 to 2 ka that is difficult to explain with either climate or humans, but the widespread and synchronous nature of the increase suggests at least a partial climate forcing; and 4) burning during the past century generally decreased but was spatially variable; it declined sharply in many areas, but there were also large increases (e.g., Australia and parts of Europe). Our analysis does not exclude an important role for human activities on global biomass burning during the Holocene, but instead provides evidence for a pervasive influence of climate across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

A unified nomenclature of NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER family members in plants

Members of the plant NITRATE TRANSPORTER 1/PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER (NRT1/PTR) family display protein sequence homology with the SLC15/PepT/PTR/POT family of peptide transporters in animals. In comparison to their animal and bacterial counterparts, these plant proteins transport a wide variety of substrates: nitrate, peptides, amino acids, dicarboxylates, glucosinolates, IAA, and ABA. The phylogenetic relationship of the members of the NRT1/PTR family in 31 fully sequenced plant genomes allowed the identification of unambiguous clades, defining eight subfamilies. The phylogenetic tree was used to determine a unified nomenclature of this family named NPF, for NRT1/PTR FAMILY. We propose that the members should be named accordingly: NPFX.Y, where X denotes the subfamily and Y the individual member within the species.

Evaluation of histological, serological and clinical changes in response to abatacept treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome: A pilot study

Objectives To prospectively evaluate histopathologic, blood cellular, serological and clinical changes in response to abatacept treatment in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods Blood, saliva and minor salivary gland biopsies were obtained before and after the last of 8 doses of abatacept in 11 pSS patients. The histologic data evaluated the number of lymphocytic foci and of B- and T-cell subtypes (CD20(+) , CD3(+) , CD4(+) , CD8(+) ). The numbers of FoxP3(+) regulatory T-cells were measured and the FoxP3 /CD 3 ratio was calculated. Histologic data were compared with results from peripheral blood and with changes in saliva secretion. Results The numbers of lymphocytic foci decreased significantly (p=0.041). Numbers of local FoxP3(+) T-cells decreased significantly in percentage of total lymphocytic infiltrates (p=0.037). In the peripheral blood B-cells increased (p=0.038). This was due to an expansion of the naïve B cell pool (p=0.034). When adjusting for disease duration, an increase was also noted for total lymphocytes (p=0.044) and for CD 4 cells (p=0.009). Gamma globulins decreased significantly (p=0.005), but IgG reduction did not reach significance. Adjusted for disease duration, saliva production increased significantly (p=0.029). Conclusions CTLA4-Ig treatment significantly reduces glandular inflammation in pSS, induces several celluar changes and increases saliva production. Remarkably, this increase in saliva production is significantly influenced by disease duration.

Chronic NSAID use and long-term decline of renal function in a prospective rheumatoid arthritis cohort study

OBJECTIVES Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may cause kidney damage. This study assessed the impact of prolonged NSAID exposure on renal function in a large rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient cohort. METHODS Renal function was prospectively followed between 1996 and 2007 in 4101 RA patients with multilevel mixed models for longitudinal data over a mean period of 3.2 years. Among the 2739 'NSAID users' were 1290 patients treated with cyclooxygenase type 2 selective NSAIDs, while 1362 subjects were 'NSAID naive'. Primary outcome was the estimated glomerular filtration rate according to the Cockroft-Gault formula (eGFRCG), and secondary the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formula equations and serum creatinine concentrations. In sensitivity analyses, NSAID dosing effects were compared for patients with NSAID registration in ≤/>50%, ≤/>80% or ≤/>90% of assessments. FINDINGS In patients with baseline eGFRCG >30 mL/min, eGFRCG evolved without significant differences over time between 'NSAID users' (mean change in eGFRCG -0.87 mL/min/year, 95% CI -1.15 to -0.59) and 'NSAID naive' (-0.67 mL/min/year, 95% CI -1.26 to -0.09, p=0.63). In a multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for significant confounders age, sex, body mass index, arterial hypertension, heart disease and for other insignificant factors, NSAIDs were an independent predictor for accelerated renal function decline only in patients with advanced baseline renal impairment (eGFRCG <30 mL/min). Analyses with secondary outcomes and sensitivity analyses confirmed these results. CONCLUSIONS NSAIDs had no negative impact on renal function estimates but in patients with advanced renal impairment.