Correlation of Plasma Protein Carbonyls and C-Reactive Protein with GOLD Stage Progression in COPD Patients

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To investigate the correlation between the progression of COPD and plasma biomarkers of chronic inflammation and oxidative injury, blood samples were obtained from healthy volunteers (HV, n = 14) and stabilized COPD patients. The patients were divided into three groups according to their GOLD stage (II, n = 34; III, n = 18; IV, n = 20). C-reactive protein (CRP), protein carbonyls (PC), malondialdehyde (MDA), susceptible lipoperoxidation of plasma substrates (SLPS), and myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) were measured. The plasma concentration of SLPS was measured as the amount of MDA generated by a metal ion-catalyzed reaction in vitro. PC, SLPS, and CPR were increased significantly (p < 0.001) in COPD patients when compared to HV. MDA concentrations and MPO activities were not significantly different from those of the HV group. In conclusion, increased oxidation of lipids and proteins resulting in a progressive increase in the amount of total plasma carbonyls and oxidative stress the presence of oxidative stress during COPD progression, concomitant with an increased oxidation of lipids and proteins resulting in a progressive and significant increase in the amount of total carbonyls formed from lipid-derived aldehydes and direct amino acid side chain oxidation in plasma, may serve as a biomarker and independent monitor of COPD progression and oxidative stress injury

Numerical preservation of velocity induced invariant regions for reaction-diffusion systems on evolving surfaces

We propose and analyse a finite element method with mass lumping (LESFEM) for the numerical approximation of reaction-diffusion systems (RDSs) on surfaces in R3 that evolve under a given velocity field. A fully-discrete method based on the implicit-explicit (IMEX) Euler time-discretisation is formulated and dilation rates which act as indicators of the surface evolution are introduced. Under the assumption that the mesh preserves the Delaunay regularity under evolution, we prove a sufficient condition, that depends on the dilation rates, for the existence of invariant regions (i) at the spatially discrete level with no restriction on the mesh size and (ii) at the fully-discrete level under a timestep restriction that depends on the kinetics, only. In the specific case of the linear heat equation, we prove a semi- and a fully-discrete maximum principle. For the well-known activator-depleted and Thomas reaction-diffusion models we prove the existence of a family of rectangles in the phase space that are invariant only under specific growth laws. Two numerical examples are provided to computationally demonstrate (i) the discrete maximum principle and optimal convergence for the heat equation on a linearly growing sphere and (ii) the existence of an invariant region for the LESFEM-IMEX Euler discretisation of a RDS on a logistically growing surface

Children’s and adolescents’ rising animal-source food intakes in 1990–2018 were impacted by age, region, parental education and urbanicity

Animal-source foods (ASF) provide nutrition for children and adolescents’ physical and cognitive development. Here, we use data from the Global Dietary Database and Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify global, regional and national ASF intakes between 1990 and 2018 by age group across 185 countries, representing 93% of the world’s child population. Mean ASF intake was 1.9 servings per day, representing 16% of children consuming at least three daily servings. Intake was similar between boys and girls, but higher among urban children with educated parents. Consumption varied by age from 0.6 at <1 year to 2.5 servings per day at 15–19 years. Between 1990 and 2018, mean ASF intake increased by 0.5 servings per week, with increases in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, total ASF consumption was highest in Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, and lowest in Uganda, India, Kenya and Bangladesh. These findings can inform policy to address malnutrition through targeted ASF consumption programmes.publishedVersio

Incident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries

The global burden of diet-attributable type 2 diabetes (T2D) is not well established. This risk assessment model estimated T2D incidence among adults attributable to direct and body weight-mediated effects of 11 dietary factors in 184 countries in 1990 and 2018. In 2018, suboptimal intake of these dietary factors was estimated to be attributable to 14.1 million (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 13.8–14.4 million) incident T2D cases, representing 70.3% (68.8–71.8%) of new cases globally. Largest T2D burdens were attributable to insufficient whole-grain intake (26.1% (25.0–27.1%)), excess refined rice and wheat intake (24.6% (22.3–27.2%)) and excess processed meat intake (20.3% (18.3–23.5%)). Across regions, highest proportional burdens were in central and eastern Europe and central Asia (85.6% (83.4–87.7%)) and Latin America and the Caribbean (81.8% (80.1–83.4%)); and lowest proportional burdens were in South Asia (55.4% (52.1–60.7%)). Proportions of diet-attributable T2D were generally larger in men than in women and were inversely correlated with age. Diet-attributable T2D was generally larger among urban versus rural residents and higher versus lower educated individuals, except in high-income countries, central and eastern Europe and central Asia, where burdens were larger in rural residents and in lower educated individuals. Compared with 1990, global diet-attributable T2D increased by 2.6 absolute percentage points (8.6 million more cases) in 2018, with variation in these trends by world region and dietary factor. These findings inform nutritional priorities and clinical and public health planning to improve dietary quality and reduce T2D globally.publishedVersio

Falsos negativos en la determinación de proteinuria en pacientes del Hospital General Córdoba; comparación de métodos

Introduction. The diabetes and hypertension are the two most important factor in development of Kidney chronic diseases (KCD). According to the World Health Organization one in 10 adults has some degree of CKD. Quantitation of proteinuria is used as a reflection of renal damage in the ERC, which can be modified. Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare the variation in quantifying proteinuria on dipstick regarding spectrophotometric techniques in patients of General Hospital Córdoba, Veracruz. Material and Methods. A total of 58 patients was included in the study. Proteinuria was determined using the test strip and techniques Lowry, Bradford and pyrogallol red in URISCAN PRO II, ILAB and Beckman Coulter (DU-650) systems. Results. Of the 58 patients included in the analysis dipstick proteinuria in 37 positive and 21 negative patients were found, with an average age of 44 years. The main diagnoses were DM and hypertension. Results indicated an increase in the values of proteinuria Lowry 3.41 times, Bradford 1.97 times and 2.68 times to pyrogallol red compared to the values obtained in the dipstick. In addition, 52.4% false negatives were detected. Conclusion. In this study, we report that the quantification of proteinuria by dipstick does not have the necessary sensitivity in high-risk patients and suggests the need to implement the use of complementary techniques in the assessment of proteinuria.Introducción. La diabetes y la hipertensión son los dos factores más importantes para el desarrollo de enfermedad renal crónica (ERC). De acuerdo a la Organización Mundial de la Salud, uno de cada 10 adultos presenta algún grado de ERC. La cuantificación de proteinuria se utiliza como reflejo de daño renal en las ERC que puede ser modificable. Objetivo. El propósito de este estudio fue comparar la variación en la cuantificación de proteinuria en la tira reactiva con respecto a técnicas espectrofotométricas en pacientes del Hospital General Córdoba, Veracruz. Materiales y Métodos. En este estudio fueron incluídos 58 pacientes. La proteinuria fue determinada usando la tira reactiva y las técnicas de Lowry, Bradford y rojo de pirogalol en los sistemas URISCAN PRO II, ILAB y Beckman Coulter (DU-650). Resultados. En los 58 pacientes se encontraron 37 positivos y 21 negativos, con promedio de edad de 44 años. Los principales diagnósticos fueron DM e hipertensión arterial. Los resultados indicaron un incremento en los valores de proteinuria de 3.41 veces por Lowry, 1.97 veces por Bradford y 2.68 veces para rojo de pirogalol en comparación con los valores obtenidos en la tira reactiva. Además, se detectó 52.4% falsos negativos. Conclusiones. En este estudio se reportó que la cuantificación de proteinuria por tira reactiva no presenta la sensibilidad necesaria en pacientes de alto riesgo y sugiere la necesidad de implementar el uso de técnicas complementarias en la valoración de proteinuria

Evaluación de actividad de la enzima arginasa en pacientes con diabetes mellitus en Veracruz, México

Introducción. La diabetes mellitus (DM) es una enfermedad crónica que incrementa su frecuencia cada año, y la búsqueda de estrategias que sean de ayuda en la prevención o control son el objetivo en diversos estudios. La DM puede disminuir la biodisponibilidad de óxido nítrico (ON) mediante diversos mecanismos, presentándose la disfunción endotelial. Diversos estudios en modelos animales y estudios in vitro sugieren la participación de arginasa en la DM, al ser un competidor directo por el sustrato de la sintasa de óxido nítrico (NOs), disminuyendo la producción de ON. Objetivo. En este estudio, se determinó en pacientes con DM la actividad de la enzima arginasa como un posible marcador del progreso de la enfermedad. Material y Método: Se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal, en el que se utilizaron muestras sanguíneas en ayuno de 12 horas, se determinaron los parámetros antropométricos, los niveles de glucosa, colesterol y se evaluó la actividad de arginasa. Resultados y conclusiones: Participaron 107 pacientes en total, 37 controles y 67 con DM. Los resultados encontrados sugieren que la actividad de la arginasa no tiene un papel como marcador de la enfermedad en pacientes con DM que no presentan signos de enfermedad avanzad

Dihydropyrazole-Carbohydrazide Derivatives with Dual Activity as Antioxidant and Anti-Proliferative Drugs on Breast Cancer Targeting the HDAC6

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the second-most common cause of death in women worldwide. Because of this, the search for new drugs and targeted therapy to treat BC is an urgent and global need. Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) is a promising anti-BC drug target associated with its development and progression. In the present work, the design and synthesis of a new family of dihydropyrazole-carbohydrazide derivatives (DPCH) derivatives focused on HDAC6 inhibitory activity is presented. Computational chemistry approaches were employed to rationalize the design and evaluate their physicochemical and toxic-biological properties. The new family of nine DPCH was synthesized and characterized. Compounds exhibited optimal physicochemical and toxicobiological properties for potential application as drugs to be used in humans. The in silico studies showed that compounds with –Br, –Cl, and –OH substituents had good affinity with the catalytic domain 2 of HDAC6 like the reference compounds. Nine DPCH derivatives were assayed on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 BC cell lines, showing antiproliferative activity with IC50 at μM range. Compound 2b showed, in vitro, an IC50 value of 12 ± 3 µM on human HDAC6. The antioxidant activity of DPCH derivatives showed that all the compounds exhibit antioxidant activity similar to that of ascorbic acid. In conclusion, the DPCH derivatives are promising drugs with therapeutic potential for the epigenetic treatment of BC, with low cytotoxicity towards healthy cells and important antioxidant activity