Risk factors associated with the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in adult coeliac patients

Objectives. Autoimmune diseases (AD) may be associated with coeliac disease (CD), but specific risk factors have been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the spectrum of AD and its specific risk factors associated in a series of adult coeliac patients. Materials and Methods. We performed a single-center case-control study including adult newly diagnosed CD patients. To evaluate the risk factors of the association between AD and CD, 341 coeliac patients included were categorized on the basis of AD presence: 91 cases with at least one AD and 250 controls without AD were compared for clinical, serological, and histological features. Eighty-seven cases were age-gender-matched with 87 controls. Results. Among 341 CD patients, 26.6% of CD patients had at least one AD. Endocrine and dermatological diseases were the most prevalent AD encountered: autoimmune thyroiditis was present in 48.4% of cases, psoriasis in 17.6%, and type I diabetes and dermatitis herpetiformis in 11%, respectively. At logistic regression, factors associated with AD were a positive 1st-degree family history of AD (OR 3.7, 95% CI 1.93–7), a body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 at CD diagnosis (OR 2.95%, CI 1.1–3.8), and long standing presentation signs/symptoms before CD diagnosis (>10 years) (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–3.7). Analysis on age-gender-matched patients confirmed these results. Conclusions. CD patients with family history of AD, overweight at CD diagnosis, and a delay of CD diagnosis had an increased risk of having another AD. The benefit of CD screening in these specific subsets of patients with AD awaits further investigation

Improving basic skills in celiac-like disease diagnosis. A case report

Background: The diagnosis of Coeliac disease (CD) requires a combination of sign/symptoms, positivity of specific antibodies and duodenal histological evidence of villous atrophy. Duodenal villous atrophy, despite representing the CD landmark, is not specific since it is found in many gastrointestinal disorders. Giardiasis is one of the most common human intestinal protozoan infestations in industrialized countries whose histological duodenal mucosa damage could mimic that of CD. The present report shows how a wise clinical and laboratory assessment led us shortly to a correct diagnosis. Case presentation: A 42-year-old outpatient woman without previous significant gastrointestinal diseases, was referred with dyspeptic symptoms, fatigue and mild diarrhea from 4 months. Her first investigations including immunoglobulin A (IgA) anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) and stool parasitological and cultural analysis were negative. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) showed no mucosal alteration. But histology demonstrated a Helicobacter Pylori (HP) pan-gastritis while duodenal mucosa showed villous atrophy consistent with a diagnosis of CD Marsh type 3b. While on gluten-free diet (GFD) the patient didn't experience any improvement of symptoms. Duodenal biopsies were then reviewed showing the presence of trophozoites of Giardia on the luminal surface of the duodenal wall and at the same time, a second stool examination revealed the presence of trophozoites and cysts of Giardia. Treated with metronidazole, 500 mg twice daily for 6 days the patient reduced diarrhea after few days. After about 2 months of GFD she was invited to discontinue it. At the same time stool examination was repeated with negative results. She subsequently performed eradication for Hp with triple therapy (Pylera®). Around 6 months later, the patient did not complain any gastrointestinal symptoms. Serological tests were normal and at a follow-up EGDS, duodenal mucosa had normal histology with normal finger-like villi and absence of Giardia trophozoites. Conclusion: This case report shows how CD diagnosis can sometimes be manifold. Intestinal villous atrophy alone may not automatically establish a diagnosis of CD. In the present case the clinical scenario could be fully explained by giardiasis. Indeed, different diagnostic tools and a multi-step approaches have been used to determine the final correct diagnosis

Kinematics Adaptation and Inter-Limb Symmetry during Gait in Obese Adults

The main purpose of this study is to characterize lower limb joint kinematics during gait in obese individuals by analyzing inter-limb symmetry and angular trends of lower limb joints during walking. To this purpose, 26 obese individuals (mean age 28.5 years) and 26 normal-weight age- and sex-matched were tested using 3D gait analysis. Raw kinematic data were processed to derive joint-specific angle trends and angle-angle diagrams (synchronized cyclograms) which were characterized in terms of area, orientation and trend symmetry parameters. The results show that obese individuals exhibit a kinematic pattern which significantly differs from those of normal weight especially in the stance phase. In terms of inter-limb symmetry, higher values were found in obese individuals for all the considered parameters, even though the statistical significance was detected only in the case of trend symmetry index at ankle joint. The described alterations of gait kinematics in the obese individuals and especially the results on gait asymmetry are important, because the cyclic uneven movement repeated for hours daily can involve asymmetrical spine loading and cause lumbar pain and could be dangerous for overweight individuals

Modelo de risco tempo-espacial para identificação de áreas de risco para ocorrência de dengue

OBJECTIVE: To apply the temporal-spatial model to assess high-risk areas for the occurrence of dengue fever. METHODS: A total of 11,989 confirmed, autochthonous dengue fever cases, geocoded by address in the city of São José do Rio Preto (Southeastern Brazil), between September of 2001 and August of 2006, were included in the study. Frequency, duration and intensity indices were used to assess the severity and magnitude of transmission. The local indicator of spatial association was adopted to identify significant spatial clusters (p-valueOBJETIVO: Aplicar o modelo tempo-espacial para avaliar áreas de risco para a ocorrência de dengue. MÉTODOS: Foram considerados os 11.989 casos de dengue confirmados e autóctones, georreferenciados por endereço em São José do Rio Preto entre setembro de 2001 e agosto de 2006. Para avaliar a severidade e a magnitude da transmissão foram adotados índices de freqüência, duração e intensidade. O indicador local de autocorrelação espacial foi adotado para identificar agrupamentos espaciais significantes (

Módulos Académicos Acreditables como estrategia de internacionalización y movilidad académica. El caso del Centro Tecnológico de Desarrollo Regional Los Reyunos. UTN; Argentina.

El presente trabajo refiere a la experiencia de internacionalización que realiza el Centro Tecnológico de Desarrollo Regional Los Reyunos de la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional de la República Argentina. Los denominados Módulos Académicos Acreditables, MAA, constituyen una herramienta académica que dentro del grado de Ingeniería y Administración han logrado concretar una amplia acción de intercambio entre estudiantes de Argentina y Brasil; y están en fase de suma estudiantes de Paraguay y Chile. Se analizan los resultados de las actividades programadas en escala significativa pues involucran contingentes de 40 y 50 alumnos que provenientes de Universidades del sur de Brasil realizan los MAA en CTDR Los Reyunos; y de alumnos de Argentina que realizan los MAA en sedes de Brasil, con acreditación académica aplicable a sus trayectorias curriculares

Functional electrical stimulation for foot drop in post-stroke people: quantitative effects on step-to-step symmetry of gait using a wearable inertial sensor

The main purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of foot drop stimulators (FDS) in individuals with stroke by means of spatio-temporal and step-to-step symmetry, harmonic ratio (HR), parameters obtained from trunk accelerations acquired using a wearable inertial sensor. Thirty-two patients (age: 56.84 ± 9.10 years; 68.8% male) underwent an instrumental gait analysis, performed using a wearable inertial sensor before and a day after the 10-session treatment (PRE and POST sessions). The treatment consisted of 10 sessions of 20 min of walking on a treadmill while using the FDS device. The spatio-temporal parameters and the HR in the anteroposterior (AP), vertical (V), and mediolateral (ML) directions were computed from trunk acceleration data. The results showed that time had a significant effect on the spatio-temporal parameters; in particular, a significant increase in gait speed was detected. Regarding the HRs, the HR in the ML direction was found to have significantly increased (+20%), while those in the AP and V directions decreased (approximately 13%). Even if further studies are necessary, from these results, the HR seems to provide additional information on gait patterns with respect to the traditional spatio-temporal parameters, advancing the assessment of the effects of FDS devices in stroke patients

Evaluación del poder inhibitorio de extractos obtenidos de plantas medicinales sobre enterobacterias patógenas de importancia en Salud Pública

Vegetable extracts can be obtained from different parts of plants such as leaves, stems, flowers and roots. Interest in vegetable extracts has increased significantly due to their bactericidal, fungicidal and antioxidant properties. For this reason, the objective of this work was to evaluate the inhibitory power of the vegetable substances extracted from four medicinal plants: Schinus molle (molle), Sesamum indicum (sesame) Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) and Minthostachys mollis (muña) against ten pathogenic enterobacteria. The extracts were obtained with or without maceration with organic solvents and by aqueous extraction. The extraction methodology that presented the highest inhibitory power was that carried out with organic solvents, while the aqueous extractions were those that presented lower inhibitory power. In the inhibition assays, cinnamon extract showed the greatest inhibitory power against pathogenic enterobacteria, while the cinnamon extract combined with sesame (1:1) showed a synergistic effect enhancing antibacterial activity. In addition, cinnamon presented bactericidal effect against Salmonella ser. typhimurium and Salmonella ser. enteritidis.Los extractos vegetales pueden ser obtenidos de diferentes partes de las plantas como hojas, tallos, flores y raíces. El interés por los extractos vegetales ha aumentado notablemente por sus propiedades bactericidas, fungicidas y antioxidantes. Por tal motivo, el objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en evaluar el poder inhibitorio de sustancias extraídas de cuatro plantas medicinales: Schinus molle (molle), Sesamum indicum (sésamo) Cinnamomum zeylanicum (canela) y Minthostachys mollis (muña) frente a diez enterobacterias patógenas. Los extractos se obtuvieron con o sin maceración empleando solventes orgánicos y por extracción acuosa. La metodología de extracción que presentó mayor poder inhibitorio fue la realizada con solventes orgánicos, mientras que las extracciones acuosas fueron las que presentaron un poder menor. En los ensayos de inhibición, el extracto de canela fue el que presentó mayor poder inhibitorio frente a las enterobacterias patógenas, mientras que la combinación de canela con sésamo (1:1) mostró un efecto sinérgico, potenciando la actividad antibacteriana. Además, la canela presentó actividad bactericida frente a Salmonella ser. typhimurium y Salmonella ser. enteritidis

Evaluation of the inhibitory power of extracts obtained from medicinal plants on on pathogenic enterobacteria relevant in public health

Los extractos vegetales pueden ser obtenidos de diferentes partes de las plantas como hojas, tallos, flores y raíces. El interés por los extractos vegetales ha aumentado notablemente por sus propiedades bactericidas, fungicidas y antioxidantes. Por tal motivo, el objetivo del presente trabajo consistió en evaluar el poder inhibitorio de sustancias extraídas de cuatro plantas medicinales: Schinus molle (molle), Sesamum indicum (sésamo) Cinnamomum zeylanicum (canela) y Minthostachys mollis (muña) frente a diez bacterias enterobacterias patógenas. Los extractos se obtuvieron con o sin maceración empleando solventes orgánicos y por extracción acuosa. La metodología de extracción que presentó mayor poder inhibitorio fue la realizada con solventes orgánicos, mientras que las extracciones acuosas fueron las que presentaron un poder menor. En los ensayos de inhibición, el extracto de canela fue el que presentó mayor poder inhibitorio frente a los enterobacterias patógenas, mientras que la combinación de canela con sésamo (1:1) mostró un efecto sinérgico, potenciando la actividad antibacteriana. Además, la canela presentó actividad bactericida frente a Salmonella ser. typhimurium y Salmonella ser. enteritidis.Vegetable extracts can be obtained from different parts of plants such as leaves, stems, flowers and roots. Interest in vegetable extracts has increased significantly due to their bactericidal, fungicidal and antioxidant properties. For this reason, the objective of this work was to evaluate the inhibitory power of the vegetable substances extracted from four medicinal plants: Schinus molle (molle), Sesamum indicum (sesame) Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) and Minthostachys mollis (muña) against ten pathogenic enterobacteria. The extracts were obtained with or without maceration with organic solvents and by aqueous extraction. The extraction methodology that presented the highest inhibitory power was that carried out with organic solvents, while the aqueous extractions were those that presented lower inhibitory power. In the inhibition assays, cinnamon extract showed the greatest inhibitory power against pathogenic enterobacteria, while the cinnamon extract combined with sesame (1:1) showed a synergistic effect enhancing antibacterial activity. In addition, cinnamon presented bactericidal effect against Salmonella ser. typhimurium and Salmonella ser. enteritidis.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria