Biomarkers of oxidant stress, insulin sensitivity and endothelial activation in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study of their association with accelerated atherosclerosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have increased morbidity and mortality due to coronary heart disease. Chronic systemic inflammation is known to accelerate atherosclerosis and increase arterial stiffness in patients, but other mechanisms may also be involved. Biomarkers of oxidant stress, inflammation, insulinaemia and endothelial dysfunction were measured in blood and urine from 46 RA patients and 48 age-matched controls. Plaque formation and intima-medial thickness (IMT) were measured using B-mode carotid Doppler scan.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>The prevalence of plaque was increased (p = 0.042) in RA patients between 50–59 years old compared to the same age group in controls. 8-isoprostane (p = 0.004), C-reactive protein (p < 0.001), interleukin-6 (p < 0.001), insulin (p = 0.035), adiponectin (p = 0.012), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) (p = 0.029) and E-selectin (p < 0.001) were all increased while selenium (p = 0.003) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.025) were both decreased in all RA patients. 8-isoprostane correlated with 10 year cardiac risk (r = 0.55, p < 0.001), VCAM with IMT (r = 0.37, p = 0.012) and E-selectin with rheumatoid factor titre (r = 0.43, p = 0.003) in RA patients. In the control group, age, carotid IMT, VCAM, systolic blood pressure and smoking status were all associated with plaque development whereas in RA patients only age was associated with plaque.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The burden of atherosclerosis is particularly increased in middle-aged women with RA. Patients with RA have increased levels of oxidant stress, inflammation, insulin and soluble adhesion molecules. As the association between classical risk factors was much weaker in RA patients compared to controls, these additional factors may be more important in the accelerated development of atheroma in RA.</p

Determining the multi-manager strategy value-add in a South African context

M.Comm.The South African investment management sector is considered well-developed with local fund managers managing approximately ZAR2.1 trillion in assets as at the end of June 2009. These assets grew to approximately ZAR2.4 trillion as at the end of June 2010. The majority of these assets are made up of institutional funds which include retirement funds. Retirement-fund investment savings have a profound impact on the country’s economic welfare not only because it provides income to a large number of aged people in South Africa, but also because it contributes to the country’s overall economic wellbeing. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges within the retirement fund industry is to ensure that retirement-fund savings are invested in an optimal way

Treatments for posterior tibial tendon dysfunction

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction is a progressive condition that can lead to disability, and therefore early diagnosis is important. Carly Bodill and Michael Concannon discuss the many treatment options available

Invasion status of Florida bass Micropterus floridanus (Lesueur, 1822) in South Africa

Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides are a popular North American angling species that was introduced into South Africa in 1928. To enhance the largemouth bass fisheries, Florida bass Micropterus floridanus were introduced into KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, in 1980. Knowledge on the status of M. floridanus in South Africa is required, because it lives longer and reaches larger sizes than M. salmoides, which may result in heightened impacts on native biota. Because M. floridanus are morphologically similar, but genetically distinct from M. salmoides, the distribution of this species was assessed by genetically screening 185 Micropterus sp. individuals sampled from 20 localities across South Africa using the mitochondrial ND2 gene. Individuals with mitochondrial DNA matching M. salmoides were recovered from 16 localities, whereas M. floridanus mitochondrial DNA was recovered from 13 localities. At nine localities (45%), the mitochondrial DNA of both species was detected. These results demonstrate M. floridanus dispersal to multiple sites across South Africa

Synthesis and evaluation of phosphonated N-heteroarylcarboxamides as DOXP-reductoisomerase (DXR) inhibitors

Malaria continues to be an enormous health-threat in the developing world. Treatment is compounded by the phenomenon of drug resistance, and the development of novel therapeutics has become a research priority. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) is the parasite responsible for the most dangerous form of human malaria, and the enzyme, 1-deoxy-1-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (PfDXR) has recently been validated as a target for the design of potential antimalarial drugs

Compulsive exercise as a mediator between clinical perfectionism and eating pathology.

The aim of this study was to examine whether compulsive exercise mediates the relationship between clinical perfectionism and eating pathology, based on the cognitive behavioral model of compulsive exercise. Participants were 368 adults who participated regularly in sport/exercise and completed online measures of perfectionism, compulsive exercise and eating disorders. In support of the well-established link between perfectionism and eating disorders, clinical perfectionism predicted eating pathology both directly and indirectly mediated by compulsive exercise. In addition, there were also direct effects of clinical perfectionism on the avoidance/rule-driven behavior, weight control, and mood improvement subscales of the Compulsive Exercise Test (CET). There was a direct effect of the CET weight control subscale on eating pathology and a negative direct effect of the CET subscale mood improvement on eating pathology. Findings lend support to the cognitive behavioral model of compulsive exercise in which clinical perfectionism is conceptualized as related to eating disorders directly and indirectly through the mediation of compulsive exercise. Compulsive exercise was also found to have a direct effect on eating disorders. Compulsive exercise may be a symptom of eating pathology, rather than an antecedent, however causal inferences could not be established given the correlational design. Longitudinal research using cross-lagged panel designs to examine a bidirectional relationship between compulsive exercise and eating disorders is needed

Invasion status of Florida bass <i>Micropterus floridanus</i> (Lesueur, 1822) in South Africa

<p>Largemouth bass <i>Micropterus salmoides</i> are a popular North American angling species that was introduced into South Africa in 1928. To enhance the largemouth bass fisheries, Florida bass <i>Micropterus floridanus</i> were introduced into KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, in 1980. Knowledge on the status of <i>M. floridanus</i> in South Africa is required, because it lives longer and reaches larger sizes than <i>M. salmoides</i>, which may result in heightened impacts on native biota. Because <i>M. floridanus</i> are morphologically similar, but genetically distinct from <i>M. salmoides</i>, the distribution of this species was assessed by genetically screening 185 <i>Micropterus</i> sp. individuals sampled from 20 localities across South Africa using the mitochondrial ND2 gene. Individuals with mitochondrial DNA matching <i>M. salmoides</i> were recovered from 16 localities, whereas <i>M. floridanus</i> mitochondrial DNA was recovered from 13 localities. At nine localities (45%), the mitochondrial DNA of both species was detected. These results demonstrate <i>M. floridanus</i> dispersal to multiple sites across South Africa.</p