Biomarkers for cardiovascular risk assessment in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases, such as antiphospholipid syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis, are characterized by a high prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD), which constitutes the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among such patients. Although such effects are partly explained by a higher prevalence of traditional CV risk factors, many studies indicate that such factors do not fully explain the enhanced CV risk in these patients. In addition, risk stratification algorithms based upon traditional CV risk factors are not as predictive in autoimmune diseases as in the general population. For these reasons, the timely and accurate assessment of CV risk in these high-risk populations still remains an unmet clinical need. An enhanced contribution of different inflammatory components of the immune response, as well as autoimmune elements (e.g. autoantibodies, autoantigens, and cellular response), has been proposed to underlie the incremental CV risk observed in these populations. Recent advances in proteomic tools have contributed to the discovery of proteins involved in CVDs, including some that may be suitable to be used as biological markers. In this review we summarize the main markers in the field of CVDs associated with autoimmunity, as well as the recent advances in proteomic technology and their application for biomarker discovery in autoimmune disease.     

Comparison of CHROMagar Salmonella medium and hektoen enteric agar for isolation of salmonellae from stool samples

CHROMagar Salmonella (CAS), a new chromogenic medium, was retrospectively compared to Hektoen enteric agar (HEA) with 501 Salmonella stock isolates and was then prospectively compared to HEA for the detection and presumptive identification of Salmonella spp. with 508 stool samples before and after enrichment. All stock cultures (100%), including cultures of H2S-negative isolates, yielded typical mauve colonies on CAS, while 497 (99%) isolates produced typical lactose-negative, black-centered colonies on HEA. Following overnight incubation at 37 degreesC, a total of 20 Salmonella strains were isolated from the 508 clinical samples. Sensitivities for primary plating and after enrichment were 95% (19 isolates) and 100% (20 isolates), respectively, for CAS and 80% (16 isolates) and 100% (20 isolates), respectively, for HEA. The specificity of CAS (88.9%) was significantly higher than that of HEA (78.5%; P < 0.0001). On the basis of its good sensitivity and specificity, CAS medium can be recommended for use for primary plating when human stool samples are screened for Salmonella spp.     

Correlating Rainfall with Remotely Sensed Microwave Radiation Using Physically Based Models

This simulation study evaluates the response of a 21-cm radiometer, measuring the radiation emitted by a bare soil, to varying accumulations of rain. We show that correlations between the decrease in emissivity after a rain storm and the total accumulation depend strongly on the physical characteristics of the soil which affect its capacity to hold water. These are primarily soil texture and pre-rain soil moisture. A method is also discussed which would use the numerical models with remotely sensed microwave brightness and surface physical temperatures, along with conventional weather data, to estimate the total accumulation.     

A procedure for assessing the functional reliability of hospital systems

An effective reliability-based procedure is presented to assess the capability of hospitals to be functional after a seismic event of a given intensity. Every major function in a hospital depends on the joint action of various cooperating services, which in turn are made up from a certain number of sub-services. Such a complex organization is described in terms of a logical scheme and subsequently reduced to a minimal cut-set representation. For each sub-service a collapse criterion is defined, by which the strength is compared to the action load, both represented as random variables. Strengths are evaluated through assessment analyses based on design drawings. Loads are evaluated from 3-D linear dynamic analyses under seismic input. This is given by the Eurocode 8 elastic response spectrum, scaled at a given peak ground acceleration and account for the position of the sub-service within the building. By calculating the failure probability of each service by FORM (First Order Reliability Method) or SORM (Second Order Reliability Methods), the probability of functional interruption is obtained in terms of Didevsen bounds, conditional on a given earthquake intensity. The method helps to single out weak elements and potential sources of damage (structural, non-structural, equipment) within the hospital. This allows: (a) to investigate quantitatively the effectiveness of different upgrading criteria, (b) to select rationally intervention hypotheses, both in the retrofitting and rehabilitation of existing hospitals and in the design optimization of new ones, and (c) to evaluate different investment options for seismic vulnerability mitigation. As an example, an application to a case study hospital is presented.     

Attribution and alcohol-mediated aggression.

48 males participated in an aggression task after receiving either alcoholic or placebo beverages and after being told that they had received either a high or a low dose of alcohol. All Ss in the alcohol group actually received the same dose. Measures of aggression were the intensity and duration of shock given to a bogus partner in a RT-pain perception task and a score on a posttask attitude questionnaire. Blood alcohol readings were taken 3 times during the session, and a locus of control scale was administered before and after drinking. For Ss in the alcohol conditions, blood alcohol levels averaged .079% before the task and .085% afterwards. Alcohol resulted in higher aggression scores only on the questionnaire measure, and an interaction between drug and attribution was found for the measure of shock duration. Attribution alone resulted in greater aggression on the measure of shock intensity. Ss in groups where the attribution was discrepant with the drug condition were the most aggressive on the measures of shock intensity and duration. These Ss became more external, reflecting a high correlation between their aggression and a stimulus tone. Results suggest that a person's increased aggressiveness when intoxicated results from an interaction between alcohol and an altered responsivity to provoking stimuli. (37 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adaptation as a genome-wide autoregulatory principle in the stress response of yeast

The gene expression response of yeast to various types of stresses/perturbations shows a common functional and dynamical pattern for the vast majority of genes, characterised by a quick transient peak (affecting primarily short genes) followed by a return to the pre-stimulus level. Kinetically, this process of adaptation following the transient excursion can be modelled using a genome-wide autoregulatory mechanism by means of which yeast aims at maintaining a preferential concentration in its mRNA levels. The resulting feedback system explains well the different time constants observable in the transient response, while being in agreement with all the known experimental dynamical features. For example, it suggests that a very rapid transient can be induced also by a slowly varying concentration of the gene products.     

The complete amino acid sequence of a trypsin inhibitor from Bauhinia variegata var. candida seeds

Trypsin inhibitors of two varieties of Bauhinia variegata seeds have been isolated and characterized. Bauhinia variegata candida trypsin inhibitor (BvcTI) and B. variegata lilac trypsin inhibitor (BvlTI) are proteins with Mr of about 20,000 without free sulfhydryl groups. Amino acid analysis shows a high content of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, and glycine, and a low content of histidine, tyrosine, methionine, and lysine in both inhibitors. Isoelectric focusing for both varieties detected three isoforms (pI 4.85, 5.00, and 5.15), which were resolved by HPLC procedure. The trypsin inhibitors show Ki values of 6.9 and 1.2 nM for BvcTI and BvlTI, respectively. The N-terminal sequences of the three trypsin inhibitor isoforms from both varieties of Bauhinia variegata and the complete amino acid sequence of B. variegata var. candida L. trypsin inhibitor isoform 3 (BvcTI-3) are presented. The sequences have been determined by automated Edman degradation of the reduced and carboxymethylated proteins of the peptides resulting from Staphylococcus aureus protease and trypsin digestion. BvcTI-3 is composed of 167 residues and has a calculated molecular mass of 18,529. Homology studies with other trypsin inhibitors show that BvcTI-3 belongs to the Kunitz family. The putative active site encompasses Arg (63)-Ile (64).     

Zinc supplementation of Friesian cows: Effect on chemical-nutritional composition and aromatic profile of dairy products

Zinc represents an essential microelement for several biochemical mechanisms. The body's inability to store zinc necessarily requires a constant dietary supply to avoid alteration of physiological functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary enrichment with zinc on chemical-nutritional and aromatic properties of milk and cheese. Thirty commercial dairy cows, balanced for parity, milk production, and days in milk, were randomly assigned to 2 groups. The control group was fed with a conventional complete diet (22 kg of dry matter/animal per day), whereas the experimental group received a daily zinc supplementation of 60 mg per kg of dry complete feed. During the experimental period, the milk yield was monitored and samples of milk and caciotta cheese were collected to obtain information about the chemical-nutritional composition and aromatic profile. Dietary zinc integration did not influence milk yield and composition, but induced a marked reduction of somatic cell count and improved the oxidative stability of ripened caciotta cheese. In both milk and cheese, the experimental group samples were characterized by a lower concentration of saturated fatty acids and an increase in oleic acid, vaccenic acid, and rumenic acid. The aromatic profile of dairy products was also positively affected by dietary zinc intake, with an increase in concentration of carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and esters. The present results suggest a positive role of zinc in improving animal health and nutraceutical properties of milk and corresponding cheese. Taking into account the analysis of volatile compounds, zinc dietary supplementation of dairy cows should contribute to the production of cheeses with interesting organoleptic properties, although more studies are necessary to confirm the consumer acceptability of these changes.     

Potentials on the hexagonal grid

The aim of this paper is to give an explicit computation for the potential generated by a dipole on a hexagonal grid. Such a computation will be expressed as the Fourier transform of a distribution on the bidimensional torus .