Characteristics of vertebral osteomyelitis after liver transplantation

AbstractWe performed a retrospective single-centre 1:3 case–control study to investigate the characteristics of vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) occurring in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients between 2000 and 2012. Nine cases were identified in 752 OLT recipients (1.2%), with a median time from OLT to VO of 12 weeks. In comparison with 27 VO not occurring in OLT patients (controls), VO occurring in OLT recipients was characterized by decreased levels of inflammation biomarkers (average C-reactive protein 65.1 mg·L−1 vs. 167 mg·L−1, p 0.02; average white blood cell count 4.8 × 109·L−1 vs. 12.9 × 109·L−1, p < 0.001), higher rate of fungal infections (3/9 vs. 0/27, p 0.01), lower rate of bacterial infections (3/9 vs. 25/27, p 0.001) and decreased proportion of positive blood cultures (1/9 vs. 16/27, p 0.02) despite a trend towards higher rate of multifocal infection. Microbiologic outcomes were similar between the two groups. Overall, VO in OLT patients was more difficult to diagnose as a result of altered inflammation response and specific microbial epidemiology of causal microorganisms

Clinical manifestations in patients with PI*MMMalton genotypes. A matter still unsolved in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

We report the genetic variants associated with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in 117 patients admitted to our outpatient clinic and characterized by a serum concentration of AAT lower than 113 mg/dL. We focused on the M-like heterozygous variant of the SERPINA1 gene called PI*MMMalton, and describe three patients with this variant. While the role of homozygous AATD in liver and pulmonary disease is well established, the association between heterozygous AATD and chronic liver and pulmonary disease is still under investigation. The PI*MMMalton genotype was found in 5.8% of patients with a pathological genotype of AATD and in 14.3% of the subjects when considering only those with intermediate AATD. There were no liver or renal abnormalities in patients with the PI*MMMalton genotype. The PI*MMMalton patients included here showed a normal liver function, and none had renal function abnormalities or abdominal aortic aneurysm. Only a prevalence of lung disease was detected

Pobreza en el norte grande. Determinación de niveles con un indicador integrado de privación de medios de vida

Para el estudio de la pobreza en el Norte Grande argentino, se elaboró el Índice de Privación de Medios de Vida, buscando diseñar un indicador que permitiera combinar determinadas características de la pobreza coyuntural y de la pobreza estructural, a través de la utilización de datos censales. Se buscaba, además, que el mismo fuera funcional para su aplicación a nivel de radios censales, con el objeto de afinar la percepción del fenómeno de distribución espacial de la pobreza en las nueve provincias más carenciadas de Argentina. El Índice de Privación de Medios de Vida (IPMV), deviene de la elaboración de un Índice de Capacidad de Subsistencia (ICS) que es ajustado, en lo que se refiere a su versatilidad para medir la dimensión estructural de la pobreza, por la Condición Habitacional (CH). El IPMV intenta aproximar los dos grandes métodos utilizados en la evaluación de la pobreza –LP y NBI—que responden a estructurasconceptuales diferentes basadas en sus respectivas relaciones con el ingreso y el consumo privado el primero, y con el consumo público y la inversión privada y pública, el segundo. El objetivo de la presente propuesta es la discusión operacional del funcionamiento del IPMV y de su grado de capacidad para la medir y discriminar los distintos niveles de pobreza

Vascularisation of the central nervous system

The developing central nervous system (CNS) is vascularised through the angiogenic invasion of blood vessels from a perineural vascular plexus, followed by continued sprouting and remodelling until a hierarchical vascular network is formed. Remarkably, vascularisation occurs without perturbing the intricate architecture of the neurogenic niches or the emerging neural networks. We discuss the mouse hind brain, forebrain and retina as widely used models to study developmental angiogenesis in the mammalian CNS and provide an overview of key cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the vascularisation of these organs

Estratigrafía y análisis de facies de la Formación Vaca Muerta en el área de El Trapial

La importancia de los análisis estratigráficos, de facies y sedimentológicos para evaluar el potencial de un reservorio no convencional para identificar las zonas más favorables para la prospección y explotación de hidrocarburos.Fil: González Tomassini, Federico. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Geología; ArgentinaFil: Kietzmann, Diego Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Estudios Andinos "Don Pablo Groeber". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Estudios Andinos ; ArgentinaFil: Fantin, Manuel A.. Chevron; ArgentinaFil: Crousse, Luisa C.. Chevron; ArgentinaFil: Reijenstein, Hernán M.. Chevron Latin America Business; Estados Unido

Neuropilin Regulation of Angiogenesis, Arteriogenesis, and Vascular Permeability

The formation of the cardiovasculature, consisting of both the heart and blood vessels, is a critical step in embryonic development and relies on three processes termed vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling. The transmembrane protein NRP1 is an essential modulator of embryonic angiogenesis with additional roles in vessel remodeling and arteriogenesis. NRP1 also enhances arteriogenesis in adults to alleviate pathological tissue ischemia. However, in certain circumstances, vascular NRP1 signaling can be detrimental, as it may promote cancer by enhancing tumor angiogenesis or contribute to tissue edema by increasing vascular permeability. Understanding the mechanisms of NRP1 signaling is, therefore, of profound importance for the design of therapies aiming to control vascular functions. Previous work has shown that vascular NRP1 can variably serve as a receptor for two secreted glycoproteins, the VEGF-A and SEMA3A, but it also has a poorly understood role as an adhesion receptor. Here, we review current knowledge of NRP1 function during blood vessel growth and homeostasis, with special emphasis on the vascular roles of its multiple ligands and signaling partners

Plxna1 and Plxna3 cooperate to pattern the nasal axons that guide gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons

The gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons regulate puberty onset and sexual reproduction by secreting GnRH to activate and maintain the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. During embryonic development, GnRH neurons migrate along olfactory and vomeronasal axons through the nose into the brain, where they project to the median eminence to release GnRH. The secreted glycoprotein SEMA3A binds its receptors neuropilin (NRP) 1 or NRP2 to position these axons for correct GnRH neuron migration, with an additional role for the NRP co-receptor PLXNA1. Accordingly, mutations in SEMA3A, NRP1, NRP2 and PLXNA1 have been linked to defective GnRH neuron development in mice and inherited GnRH deficiency in humans. Here, we show that only the combined loss of PLXNA1 and PLXNA3 phenocopied the full spectrum of nasal axon and GnRH neuron defects of SEMA3A knockout mice. Together with Plxna1, the human ortholog of Plxna3 should therefore be investigated as a candidate gene for inherited GnRH deficiency