Association of ICAM3 genetic variant with severe acute respiratory syndrome

Genetic polymorphisms have been demonstrated to be associated with vulnerability to human infection. ICAM3, an intercellular adhesion molecule important for T cell activation, and FCER2 (CD23), an immune response gene, both located on chromosome 19p13.3, were investigated for host genetic susceptibility and association with clinical outcome. A case-control study based on 817 patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 307 health care worker control subjects, 290 outpatient control subjects, and 309 household control subjects unaffected by SARS from Hong Kong was conducted to test for genetic association. No significant association to susceptibility to SARS infection caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was found for the FCER2 and the ICAM3 single nucleotide polymorphisms. However, patients with SARS homozygous for ICAM3 Gly143 showed significant association with higher lactate dehydrogenase levels (P = .0067; odds ratio [OR], 4.31 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.37-13.56]) and lower total white blood cell counts (P = .022; OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.10-0.89]) on admission. These findings support the role of ICAM3 in the immunopathogenesis of SARS. © 2007 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

Synthesis of fluorinated analogues of the immunosuppressive drug FTY720

Four fluorinated derivatives of the immunosuppressive drug FTY720 were synthesized by a convergent strategy, using the Sonogashira coupling as the key reaction to assemble the two major fragments. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Vinylsulfonates in the carbene cyclization cycloaddition cascade reaction

Rising Stars of Research (RSR) 2009 - National Undergraduate Science and Engineering Research Poster Competition, Vancouver, B.C., 19-22 August 2009

Desymmetrization of meso [3.2.1]oxabicyclic systems using metal-catalysed asymmetric intramolecular C-H insertion

Diazoketone derivatives of meso 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octen-3-ones were desymmetrized by an intramolecular C-H insertion mediated by chiral copper and dirhodium catalysts to generate oxatricyclic systems with up to 5 contiguous stereogenic centres and 50% ee.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Leptin induces TGF-β synthesis through functional leptin receptor expressed by human peritoneal mesothelial cell

Marked increase in leptin concentration in spent peritoneal dialysate has been reported following continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis treatment. The present study was designed to determine whether functional leptin receptor is expressed by human peritoneal mesothelial cells and if so, the possible implication in dialysis. Expression of leptin receptors in cultured mesothelial cells and omental tissue was examined. The effect of leptin on the production of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) by mesothelial cells in the presence or absence of high glucose was determined using in vitro culture model of human peritoneal mesothelial cells and adipocytes. The signaling mechanism involved in leptin-induced TGF-β synthesis by mesothelial cells was studied. Both mRNA and protein of the full-length leptin receptor are constitutively expressed in mesothelial cells. The leptin receptor expression in mesothelial cells was upregulated by glucose but not leptin. In adipocytes, glucose increased the mRNA expression and synthesis of leptin. The Janus kinase-signal transducers and activation (JAK-STAT) signal transduction pathway in mesothelial cells was activated by either exogenous or adipocytes-derived leptin. Exogenous leptin induced the release of TGF-β by mesothelial cells. The TGF-β synthesis induced by leptin was amplified by glucose through increased leptin receptor expression. Our novel findings reveal that functional leptin receptor is present on human peritoneal mesothelial cells. The leptin-induced TGF-β synthesis in mesothelial cells is associated with the expression of leptin receptor and the activation of the JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway. © 2006 International Society of Nephrology.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Regulation of CCN2/CTGF and related cytokines in cultured peritoneal cells under conditions simulating peritoneal dialysis

Background. Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a major treatment modality for end-stage renal failure. The peritoneal membrane exhibits pathological changes that correlate with the duration of dialysis. These changes are due to the exposure of the peritoneum to non-physiologic peritoneal dialysis solution (PDS) with a high glucose content, and containing potentially toxic substances including glucose degradation products (GDP) and advanced glycation end products (AGE). Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) is one of the determinants of progressive fibrosis and peritoneal membrane dysfunction in CAPD. In this study, we examined the CCN2 expression and its regulation in peritoneal resident cells using a cell culture model. Methods. The expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), CCN2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC), human peritoneal fibroblasts (HPF) or endothelial cell line EA.hy926 (EC) cultured with various PDS and their components was examined by quantitative PCR (qPCR). The modulation of CCN2 synthesis under the crosstalk between HPMC and HPF or EC was examined using a conditioned medium transfer system in which HPMC was exposed to conditioned media obtained from HPF or EC incubated with PDS and their components. The differential effects of TGF-β, CCN2 and VEGF in inducing the expression of transcriptional factors as well as interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) and collagen I were examined by electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA) and qPCR. Results. PDS and their components differentially modulated the expression of TGF-β, CCN2 and VEGF in HPMC, HPF and EC. The expression of CCN2 by HPMC was significantly increased after cultured with a HPF-conditioned medium and an EC-conditioned medium. Neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibodies reduced but not completely abolished the CCN2 synthesis in HPMC cultured with the HPF- or EC-conditioned medium. CCN2, TGF-β and VEGF activated distinct transcriptional factors in HPMC, which resulted in divergent biological responses in terms of IL-6, MMP-9 and collagen I mRNA expression. Conclusion. AGE and GDPs in PDS differentially regulate the synthesis of CCN2 by peritoneal resident cells. The CCN2 synthesis by HPMC can be further amplified by TGF-β released from HPF or EC. The differential activation of different transcriptional factors and diverse response of HPMC towards CCN2, TGF-β and VEGF suggest that these cytokines/growth factors have an overlapping and distinct role on HPMC. © The Author [2008]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex