Sweat gland recruitment following thermal and psychological stimuli

Eccrine sweat glands are present across almost the entire body surface. The distinction between glabrous (hairless) and non-glabrous skin has frequently been used to describe differences in human sudomotor function and, in particular, to help differentiate between the thermal and nonthermal mechanisms that modulate sweat secretion. Indeed, the widely accepted consensus is that psychological (psychogenic) sweating is limited to the glabrous regions, while thermally induced secretion occurs only from non-glabrous surfaces (Iwase et al., 1997). Furthermore, it is frequently assumed that independent central controllers, efferent pathways and different neurotransmitters activate the sweat glands within each of these regions. A recent research focus of the current laboratory has been to evaluate the veracity of these assumptions

Effects of Early Changes in Organ Dysfunctions on the Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients in Need of Renal Replacement Therapy

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury usually develops in critically ill patients in the context of multiple organ dysfunctions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of changes in associated organ dysfunctions over the first three days of renal replacement therapy on the outcomes of patients with acute kidney injury. METHODS: Over a 19-month period, we evaluated 260 patients admitted to the intensive care units of three tertiary-care hospitals who required renal replacement therapy for > 48 h. Organ dysfunctions were evaluated by SOFA score (excluding renal points) on the first (D1) and third (D3) days of renal replacement therapy. Absolute (A-SOFA) and relative (D-SOFA) changes in SOFA scores were also calculated. RESULTS: Hospital mortality rate was 75%. Organ dysfunctions worsened (A-SOFA>0) in 53%, remained unchanged (A-SOFA=0) in 17% and improved (A-SOFA<0) in 30% of patients; and mortality was lower in the last group (80% vs. 84% vs. 61%, p=0.003). SOFA on D1 (p<0.001), SOFA on D3 (p<0.001), A-SOFA (p=0.019) and D-SOFA (p=0.016) were higher in non-survivors. However, neither A-SOFA nor D-SOFA discriminated survivors from non-survivors on an individual basis. Adjusting for other covariates (including SOFA on D1), A-SOFA and D-SOFA were associated with increased mortality, and patients in whom SOFA scores worsened or remained unchanged had poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to baseline values, early changes in SOFA score after the start of renal replacement therapy were associated with hospital mortality. However, no prognostic score should be used as the only parameter to predict individual outcomes

The Role of the CD4 Receptor versus HIV Coreceptors in Envelope-Mediated Apoptosis in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

AbstractWe examined the role of CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5 in HIV envelope-mediated apoptosis by measuring the response of activated PBMCs to recombinant envelope proteins derived from CXCR4- and CCR5-utilizing viruses. Apoptosis of T cells was assessed by annexin-V staining and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling. Treatment of CCR5Δ32 homozygote PBMCs with a CCR5-specific envelope induced apoptosis in T cells, demonstrating that envelope–CD4 interactions are sufficient to induce apoptosis. However, a CXCR4-specific envelope induced higher levels of apoptosis than a CCR5-specific envelope, suggesting that envelope-mediated apoptosis can be enhanced by envelope–CXCR4 interactions. We conclude that envelope can induce apoptosis in T cells independently of the coreceptor specificity of a given envelope, or the expression profile of CXCR4 or CCR5 on a target cell. However, envelope–coreceptor interactions, and in particular, envelope–CXCR4 interactions, can contribute to this process

ESTUDIOS MORFOLÓGICOS Y MORFOMÉTRICOS EN GANCHOS ROSTELLARES DEL PROTOESCOLICES DE ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS DEL PERÚ VISUALIZADA POR VARIAS TÉNICAS MICROSCÓPICAS

This study was undertaken to expand the current knowledge of the morphology and morphometry of rostellar hooks of protoscoleces from the metacestode E. granulosus. Protoscoleces were isolated from livers and lungs of naturally infected ovines and bovines obtained from abattoirs in Peruvian provinces (Arequipa, Cuzco, Puno, Huancavelica and Junin). Brightfield microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, differential interference contrast and variable pressure scanning electron microscopy were used. Morphometry was made using computer image analysis. The application of these assay indicated that the large hooks frequently had thin guards and an irregular surface between the guard and handle. Data also showed that the small hooks presented rounded and stout guards. The blade did not show any relevant feature. No clear morphological distinction was observed between large and small hooks. Phenotypical polymorphism was evident in the shape and size of hooks. In conclusion, the current data show that large and small rostellar hooks have morphological polymorphism. Because the application of this knowledge for taxonomic study is limited, for this end morphometry techniques are required. Our study demonstrated the usefulness of combining conventional and new morphological tools to help to solve unresolved matters with regards to rostellar hooks features.Esta investigación fue realizada para incrementar el conocimiento actual de los datos morfológicos y morfométricos de los ganchos rostelares de la forma larvaria (metacestode) de Echinococcus granulosus. Los protoescoÛ lices fueron aislados de hígados y pulmones de ovinos y vacunos infectados naturalmente obtenidos de los mataderos en los departamentos del Perú (Arequipa, Cuzco, Puno, Huancavelica y Junín). Se utilizó la microscopia de campo claro, la microscopia confocal, la microscopia electrónica de barrido y contraste de interferencia diferencial. La morfometría se realizó mediante el análisis de imagen computacional. La aplicación de estos ensayos indican que los ganchos grandes con frecuencia presentaban finos protectores y de superficie irregular entre el protector y el mango. Los datos también indicaron que los ganchos pequeños presentaron proctectores redondeados y robustos. La hoja no mostroÛ ningún aspecto relevante. Se observoÛ que no existe distinción morfológica clara entre los ganchos grandes y pequeños. Fue evidente diferencias fenotípicas en la forma y el tamaño de los ganchos. En conclusión, la comparación de la morfología de los ganchos rostelares grandes y pequeños mostró ciertas diferencias. Nuestro estudio demostró la utilidad de la combinación de herramientas tradicionales y nuevas para los estudios morfológicos y ayudar a resolver las cuestiones pendientes con respecto a la morfología de los ganchos rostelares

Chagas Disease in the New York City Metropolitan Area

Background Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, once considered a disease confined to Mexico, Central America, and South America, is now an emerging global public health problem. An estimated 300 000 immigrants in the United States are chronically infected with T. cruzi. However, awareness of Chagas disease among the medical community in the United States is poor. Methods We review our experience managing 60 patients with Chagas disease in hospitals throughout the New York City metropolitan area and describe screening, clinical manifestations, EKG findings, imaging, and treatment. Results The most common country of origin of our patients was El Salvador (n = 24, 40%), and the most common detection method was by routine blood donor screening (n = 21, 35%). Nearly half of the patients were asymptomatic (n = 29, 48%). Twenty-seven patients were treated with either benznidazole or nifurtimox, of whom 7 did not complete therapy due to side effects or were lost to follow-up. Ten patients had advanced heart failure requiring device implantation or organ transplantation. Conclusions Based on our experience, we recommend that targeted screening be used to identify at-risk, asymptomatic patients before progression to clinical disease. Evaluation should include an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and chest x-ray, as well as gastrointestinal imaging if relevant symptoms are present. Patients should be treated if appropriate, but providers should be aware of adverse effects that may prevent patients from completing treatment

Polymorphisms in the α4 Integrin of Neotropical Primates: Insights for Binding of Natural Ligands and HIV-1 gp120 to the Human α4β7

The α4 integrin subunit associates with β7 and β1 and plays important roles in immune function and cell trafficking. The gut-homing receptor α4β7 has been recently described as a new receptor for HIV. Here, we describe polymorphisms of ITGA4 gene in New World primates (NWP), and tested their impact on the binding to monoclonal antibodies, natural ligands (MAdCAM and VCAM), and several gp120 HIV-1 envelope proteins. Genomic DNA of NWP specimens comprising all genera of the group had their exons 5 and 6 (encoding the region of binding to the ligands studied) analyzed. The polymorphisms found were introduced into an ITGA4 cDNA clone encoding the human α4 subunit. Mutant α4 proteins were co-expressed with β7 and were tested for binding of mAbs, MAdCAM, VCAM and gp120 of HIV-1, which was compared to the wild-type (human) α4. Mutant α4 proteins harboring the K201E/I/N substitution had reduced binding of all ligands tested, including HIV-1 gp120 envelopes. The mAbs found with reduced biding included one from which a clinically-approved drug for the treatment of neurological disorders has been derived. α4 polymorphisms in other primate species may influence outcomes in the development and treatment of infectious and autoimmune diseases in humans and in non-human primates

Cohort profile: the 100 million Brazilian cohort

The creation of The 100 Million Brazilian Cohort was motivated by the availability of high quality but dispersed social and health databases in Brazil and the need to integrate data and evaluate the impact of policies aiming to improve the social determinants of health (e.g. social protection policies) on health outcomes, overall and in subgroups of interest in a dynamic cohort. • The baseline of The 100 Million Brazilian Cohort comprises 131 697 800 low-income individuals in 35 358 415 families from 2011 to 2018. The Cohort population is mostly composed of children and young adults, with a higher proportion of females than the general Brazilian population, who identify themselves as Brown and live in the urban area of the country. • Exposure to social protection and the follow-up of individuals are obtained through: (i) deterministic linkage using the Social Identification Number (NIS) to link the Cohort baseline to social protection programmes and to periodically renewed socioeconomic information in Cadatro U ́ nico datasets; and/or (ii) non-deterministic linkage using the CIDACS-RL non-deterministic linkage tool, to link the Cohort baseline to administrative health care datasets such as mortality (Mortality Information System, SIM), disease notification (Information System for Notifiable Diseases, SINAN), birth information (Live Birth Information System, SINASC) and nutrition status (Food and Nutrition Surveillance System, SISVAN). • So far, studies have used The 100 Million Brazilian Cohort to investigate the socioeconomic and demographic determinants of leprosy, leprosy treatment outcomes and low birthweight and to evaluate the impact of the Bolsa Familia Programme (BFP) on leprosy and child mortality. Other studies are now being conducted that are of utmost relevance to the health inequalities of Brazil and many low- and middle-income countries, and many research opportunities are being opened up with the linkage of a range of health outcomes