Widespread nasal carriage of Mycobacterium lepraeamong a healthy population in a hyperendemic region of northeastern Brazil

A case-control study was conducted to determine the presence ofMycobacterium leprae DNA in nasal secretions of leprosy cases and nonleprosy individuals in Fortaleza, Brazil. It included 185 cases identified by physicians at the Dona Libânia National Reference Centre for Sanitary Dermatology (CDERM). A control group (Co) (n = 136) was identified among individuals from CDERM not diagnosed as leprosy cases. To augment the spatial analysis of M. leprae specific repetitive element (RLEP) positive prevalence, an external group (EG) (n = 121), a convenience sample of healthy students, were included. Polymerase chain reaction for the RLEP sequence was conducted for all participants. Prevalence of RLEP positivity for cases and Co were 69.2% and 66.9%, respectively, significantly higher than for EG (28.1%), and reported elsewhere. Male sex, belonging to a lower socioeconomic status (D/E), history of a previous contact with a case and being older, were associated with being a leprosy case. Our geographical analysis demonstrated that the bacillus is widespread among the healthy population, with clusters of RLEP positive multibacillary cases concentrated in distinct areas of the city. Our results suggest that in endemic areas, as in Fortaleza, surveillance for both nonhousehold leprosy contacts and members of the general population living in cluster areas should be implemented.

Increased condom use without other major changes in sexual behavior among the general population in Switzerland.

The expression of DNA topoisomerase II alpha and beta genes was studied in murine normal tissues. Northern blot analysis using probes specific for the two genes showed that the patterns of expression were different among 22 tissues of adult mice. Expression levels of topoisomerase II alpha gene were high in proliferating tissues, such as bone marrow and spleen, and undetectable or low in 17 other tissues. In contrast, high or intermediate expression of topoisomerase II beta gene was found in a variety of tissues (15) of adult mice, including those with no proliferating cells. Topoisomerase II gene expression was also studied during murine development. In whole embryos both genes were expressed at higher levels in early than late stages of embryogenesis. Heart, brain and liver of embryos two days before delivery, and these same tissues plus lung and thymus of newborn (1-day-old) mice expressed appreciable levels of the two genes. Interestingly, a post-natal induction of the beta gene expression was observed in the brain but not in the liver; conversely, the expression of the alpha gene was increased 1 day after birth in the liver but not in the brain. However, gene expression of a proliferation-associated enzyme, thymidylate synthase, was similar in these tissues between embryos and newborns. Thus, the two genes were differentially regulated in the post-natal period, and a tissue-specific role may be suggested for the two isoenzymes in the development of differentiated tissues such as the brain and liver. Based on the differential patterns of expression of the two isoforms, this analysis indicates that topoisomerase II alpha may be a specific marker of cell proliferation, whereas topoisomerase II beta may be implicated in functions of DNA metabolism other than replication.

Chaos and order in the contemporary city. The impact of urban spatial structure on population density and commuting distance in Barcelona, 1986-2001.

One of the criticisms leveled at the model of dispersed city found all over the world is its unarticulated, random, and undifferentiated nature. To check this idea in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, we estimated the impact of the urban spatial structure (CBD, subcenters and transportation infrastructures) over the population density and commuting distance. The results are unfavorable to the hypothesis of the increasing destructuring of cities given that the explanatory capacity of both functions improves over time, both when other control variables are not included and when they are included.

Anopheles darlingi polytene chromosomes: revised maps including newly described inversions and evidence for population structure in Manaus

Salivary gland polytene chromosomes of 4th instar Anopheles darlingi Root were examined from multiple locations in the Brazilian Amazon. Minor modifications were made to existing polytene photomaps. These included changes to the breakpoint positions of several previously described paracentric inversions and descriptions of four new paracentric inversions, two on the right arm of chromosome 3 and two on the left arm of chromosome 3 that were found in multiple locations. A total of 18 inversions on the X (n = 1) chromosome, chromosome 2 (n = 7) and 3 (n = 11) were scored for 83 individuals from Manaus, Macapá and Porto Velho municipalities. The frequency of 2Ra inversion karyotypes in Manaus shows significant deficiency of heterozygotes (p < 0.0009). No significant linkage disequilibrium was found between inversions on chromosome 2 and 3. We hypothesize that at least two sympatric subpopulations exist within the An. darlingi population at Manaus based on inversion frequencies.

The influence of individual, social and physical environment factors on physical activity in the adult population in Andalusia, Spain.

A person's physical and social environment is considered as an influencing factor in terms of rates of engagement in physical activity. This study analyses the influence of socio-demographic, physical and social environmental factors on physical activity reported in the adult population in Andalusia. This is a cross-sectional study using data collected in the Andalusia Health Survey in 1999 and 2003. In addition to the influence of the individual's characteristics, if there are no green spaces in the neighbourhood it is less likely that men and women will take exercise (OR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.41). Likewise, a higher local illiteracy rate also has a negative influence on exercise habits in men (OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.21, 1.59) and in women (OR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.40). Physical activity is influenced by individuals' characteristics as well as by their social and physical environment, the most disadvantaged groups are less likely to engage in physical activity.

The alcohol purchase task in young men from the general population.

BACKGROUND: The alcohol purchase task (APT), which presents a scenario and asks participants how many drinks they would purchase and consume at different prices, has been used among students and small clinical samples to obtain measures of alcohol demand but not in large, general population samples. METHODS: We administered the APT to a large sample of young men from the general population (Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors). Participants who reported drinking in the past year (n=4790), reported on past 12 months alcohol use, on DSM-5 alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria and on alcohol related consequences were included. RESULTS: Among the APT's demand parameters, intensity was 8.7 (SD=6.5) indicating that, when drinks are free, participants report a planned consumption of almost 9 drinks. The maximum alcohol expenditure (Omax) was over 35CHF (1CHF=1.1USD) and the demand became elastic (Pmax) at 8.4CHF (SD=5.6). The mean price at which the consumption was suppressed was 15.6CHF (SD=5.4). Exponential equation provided a satisfactory fit to individual responses (mean R(2): 0.8, median: 0.8). Demand intensity was correlated with alcohol use, number of AUD criteria and number of consequences (all r≥0.3, p<0.0001). Omax was correlated with alcohol use (p<0.0001). The elasticity parameter was weakly correlated with alcohol use in the expected direction. CONCLUSION: The APT measures are useful in characterizing demand for alcohol in young men in the general population. Demand may provide a clinically useful index of strength of motivation for alcohol use in general population samples.

Central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and degree of myopia in an adult myopic population aged 20 to 40 years in southeast Spain: determination and relationships.

Objective: To determine the values of, and study the relationships among, central corneal thickness (CCT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and degree of myopia (DM) in an adult myopic population aged 20 to 40 years in Almeria (southeast Spain). To our knowledge this is first study of this kind in this region. Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was done in which a sample of 310 myopic patients (620 eyes) aged 20 to 40 years was selected by gender- and age-stratified sampling, which was proportionally fixed to the size of the population strata for which a 20% prevalence of myopia, 5% epsilon, and a 95% confidence interval were hypothesized. We studied IOP, CCT, and DM and their relationships by calculating the mean, standard deviation, 95% confidence interval for the mean, median, Fisher’s asymmetry coefficient, range (maximum, minimum), and the Brown-Forsythe’s robust test for each variable (IOP, CCT, and DM). Results: In the adult myopic population of Almeria aged 20 to 40 years (mean of 29.8), the mean overall CCT was 550.12 μm. The corneas of men were thicker than those of women (P = 0.014). CCT was stable as no significant differences were seen in the 20- to 40-year-old subjects’ CCT values. The mean overall IOP was 13.60 mmHg. Men had a higher IOP than women (P = 0.002). Subjects over 30 years (13.83) had a higher IOP than those under 30 (13.38) (P = 0.04). The mean overall DM was −4.18 diopters. Men had less myopia than women (P < 0.001). Myopia was stable in the 20- to 40-year-old study population (P = 0.089). A linear relationship was found between CCT and IOP (R2 = 0.152, P ≤ 0.001). CCT influenced the IOP value by 15.2%. However no linear relationship between DM and IOP, or between CCT and DM, was found. Conclusions: CCT was found to be similar to that reported in other studies in different populations. IOP tends to increase after the age of 30 and is not accounted for by alterations in CCT values.

Population pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin in children.

Teicoplanin is frequently administered to treat Gram-positive infections in pediatric patients. However, not enough is known about the pharmacokinetics (PK) of teicoplanin in children to justify the optimal dosing regimen. The aim of this study was to determine the population PK of teicoplanin in children and evaluate the current dosage regimens. A PK hospital-based study was conducted. Current dosage recommendations were used for children up to 16 years of age. Thirty-nine children were recruited. Serum samples were collected at the first dose interval (1, 3, 6, and 24 h) and at steady state. A standard 2-compartment PK model was developed, followed by structural models that incorporated weight. Weight was allowed to affect clearance (CL) using linear and allometric scaling terms. The linear model best accounted for the observed data and was subsequently chosen for Monte Carlo simulations. The PK parameter medians/means (standard deviation [SD]) were as follows: CL, [0.019/0.023 (0.01)] × weight liters/h/kg of body weight; volume, 2.282/4.138 liters (4.14 liters); first-order rate constant from the central to peripheral compartment (Kcp), 0.474/3.876 h(-1) (8.16 h(-1)); and first-order rate constant from peripheral to central compartment (Kpc), 0.292/3.994 h(-1) (8.93 h(-1)). The percentage of patients with a minimum concentration of drug in serum (Cmin) of <10 mg/liter was 53.85%. The median/mean (SD) total population area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) was 619/527.05 mg · h/liter (166.03 mg · h/liter). Based on Monte Carlo simulations, only 30.04% (median AUC, 507.04 mg · h/liter), 44.88% (494.1 mg · h/liter), and 60.54% (452.03 mg · h/liter) of patients weighing 50, 25, and 10 kg, respectively, attained trough concentrations of >10 mg/liter by day 4 of treatment. The teicoplanin population PK is highly variable in children, with a wider AUC distribution spread than for adults. Therapeutic drug monitoring should be a routine requirement to minimize suboptimal concentrations. (This trial has been registered in the European Clinical Trials Database Registry [EudraCT] under registration number 2012-005738-12.).

Between-year variation in population sex ratio increases with complexity of the breeding system in Hymenoptera.

While adaptive adjustment of sex ratio in the function of colony kin structure and food availability commonly occurs in social Hymenoptera, long-term studies have revealed substantial unexplained between-year variation in sex ratio at the population level. In order to identify factors that contribute to increased between-year variation in population sex ratio, we conducted a comparative analysis across 47 Hymenoptera species differing in their breeding system. We found that between-year variation in population sex ratio steadily increased as one moved from solitary species, to primitively eusocial species, to single-queen eusocial species, to multiple-queen eusocial species. Specifically, between-year variation in population sex ratio was low (6.6% of total possible variation) in solitary species, which is consistent with the view that in solitary species, sex ratio can vary only in response to fluctuations in ecological factors such as food availability. In contrast, we found significantly higher (19.5%) between-year variation in population sex ratio in multiple-queen eusocial species, which supports the view that in these species, sex ratio can also fluctuate in response to temporal changes in social factors such as queen number and queen-worker control over sex ratio, as well as factors influencing caste determination. The simultaneous adjustment of sex ratio in response to temporal fluctuations in ecological and social factors seems to preclude the existence of a single sex ratio optimum. The absence of such an optimum may reflect an additional cost associated with the evolution of complex breeding systems in Hymenoptera societies.

Psychiatric Status across Body Mass Index in a Mediterranean Spanish Population.

BACKGROUND Mental and body weight disorders are among the major global health challenges, and their comorbidity may play an important role in treatment and prevention of both pathologies. A growing number of studies have examined the relationship between psychiatric status and body weight, but our knowledge is still limited. OBJECTIVE The present study aims to investigate the cross-sectional relationships of psychiatric status and body mass index (BMI) in Málaga, a Mediterranean city in the South of Spain. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 563 participants were recruited from those who came to his primary care physician, using a systematic random sampling, non-proportional stratified by BMI categories. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess current Axes-I and II mental disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). BMI was calculated as weight (Kg) divided by square of height in meters (m2). Logistic regression was used to investigate the association between BMI and the presence of any mental disorder. BMI was introduced in the models using restricted cubic splines. RESULTS We found that high BMI values were directly associated with mood and adjustment disorders, and low BMI values were directly associated with avoidant and dependent personality disorders (PDs). We observed an inverse relationship between low BMI values and cluster A PDs. There were not significant relationships between anxiety or substance-related disorders and BMI. CONCLUSION Psychiatric status and BMI are related in a Mediterranean Spanish population. A multidisciplinary approach to both pathologies becomes increasingly more necessary.

Within-population polymorphism of sex-determination systems in the common frog (Rana temporaria).

In sharp contrast with birds and mammals, the sex chromosomes of ectothermic vertebrates are often undifferentiated, for reasons that remain debated. A linkage map was recently published for Rana temporaria (Linnaeus, 1758) from Fennoscandia (Eastern European lineage), with a proposed sex-determining role for linkage group 2 (LG2). We analysed linkage patterns in lowland and highland populations from Switzerland (Western European lineage), with special focus on LG2. Sibship analyses showed large differences from the Fennoscandian map in terms of recombination rates and loci order, pointing to large-scale inversions or translocations. All linkage groups displayed extreme heterochiasmy (total map length was 12.2 cM in males, versus 869.8 cM in females). Sex determination was polymorphic within populations: a majority of families (with equal sex ratios) showed a strong correlation between offspring phenotypic sex and LG2 paternal haplotypes, whereas other families (some of which with female-biased sex ratios) did not show any correlation. The factors determining sex in the latter could not be identified. This coexistence of several sex-determination systems should induce frequent recombination of X and Y haplotypes, even in the absence of male recombination. Accordingly, we found no sex differences in allelic frequencies on LG2 markers among wild-caught male and female adults, except in one high-altitude population, where nonrecombinant Y haplotypes suggest sex to be entirely determined by LG2. Multifactorial sex determination certainly contributes to the lack of sex-chromosome differentiation in amphibians.

Antinucleosome antibodies as a marker of active proliferative lupus nephritis.

BACKGROUND: Antinucleosome autoantibodies were previously described to be a marker of active lupus nephritis. However, the true prevalence of antinucleosome antibodies at the time of active proliferative lupus nephritis has not been well established. Therefore, the aim of this study is to define the prevalence and diagnostic value of autoantibodies against nucleosomes as a marker for active proliferative lupus nephritis. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective multicenter diagnostic test study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 35 adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the time of the renal biopsy showing active class III or IV lupus nephritis compared with 59 control patients with SLE. INDEX TEST: Levels of antinucleosome antibodies and anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibodies. REFERENCE TEST: Kidney biopsy findings of class III or IV lupus nephritis at the time of sampling in a study population versus clinically inactive or no nephritis in a control population. RESULTS: Increased concentrations of antinucleosome antibodies were found in 31 of 35 patients (89%) with active proliferative lupus nephritis compared with 47 of 59 control patients (80%) with SLE. No significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to number of positive patients (P = 0.2) or antibody concentrations (P = 0.2) could be found. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve as a marker of the accuracy of the test in discriminating between proliferative lupus nephritis and inactive/no nephritis in patients with SLE was 0.581 (95% confidence interval, 0.47 to 0.70; P = 0.2). Increased concentrations of anti-dsDNA antibodies were found in 33 of 35 patients (94.3%) with active proliferative lupus nephritis compared with 49 of 58 control patients (84.5%) with SLE (P = 0.2). In patients with proliferative lupus nephritis, significantly higher titers of anti-dsDNA antibodies were detected compared with control patients with SLE (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in discriminating between proliferative lupus nephritis and inactive/no nephritis in patients with SLE was 0.710 (95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.82; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Antinucleosome antibodies have a high prevalence in patients with severe lupus nephritis. However, our data suggest that determining antinucleosome antibodies is of limited help in the distinction of patients with active proliferative lupus nephritis from patients with SLE without active renal disease.