Association between vitamin A and E and apolipoprotein A and B levels in type 2 diabetes

Objective. To determine the relationship between serum vitamin A and E and apolipoprotein levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Setting. Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Subjects and methods. One hundred and seventeen eligible type 2 diabetic patients who attended the Endocrine Research and Metabolism Center between 2002 and 2004 were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were collected after a 12 - 14-hour overnight fast for the measurement of serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), apolipoprotein (apo) A1 and apoB, and vitamins A and E. Anthropometric indices were determined by physical examination. Data were analysed statistically using Pearson's coefficient, multiple regression, and partial and bivariate correlations. Results. The mean body mass index (BMI) of the subjects was 27.4 ± 3.7 kg/m2. The mean (± standard deviation (SD)) serum levels of vitamins A and E were 0.5 ± 0.1 &#956;g/ml and 9.5 ± 2.6 &#956;g/ml, respectively. There were no significant differences in the plasma levels of vitamins A and E in males and females. Mean serum levels of vitamins A and E were within the normal range for both sexes. Serum lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglyceride and apoB) correlated with serum levels of vitamin E (p < 0.05). Serum levels of vitamins A and E were also correlated (p < 0.05). Standardised vitamin E levels showed significant negative correlation with most studied lipid profiles (p < 0.05). Conclusion. This study found that mean serum levels of the natural antioxidants vitamin E, and especially vitamin A, were close to the lower end of the normal range of these antioxidants in type 2 diabetics. Also, serum vitamin E and standardised vitamin E levels were important predictors of serum apoA1 levels in these patients. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 19(1) 2006: 39-4

Sequential targeted exome sequencing of 1001 patients affected by unexplained limb-girdle weakness

Several hundred genetic muscle diseases have been described, all of which are rare. Their clinical and genetic heterogeneity means that a genetic diagnosis is challenging. We established an international consortium, MYO-SEQ, to aid the work-ups of muscle disease patients and to better understand disease etiology. Exome sequencing was applied to 1001 undiagnosed patients recruited from more than 40 neuromuscular disease referral centers; standardized phenotypic information was collected for each patient. Exomes were examined for variants in 429 genes associated with muscle conditions. We identified suspected pathogenic variants in 52% of patients across 87 genes. We detected 401 novel variants, 116 of which were recurrent. Variants in CAPN3, DYSF, ANO5, DMD, RYR1, TTN, COL6A2, and SGCA collectively accounted for over half of the solved cases; while variants in newer disease genes, such as BVES and POGLUT1, were also found. The remaining well-characterized unsolved patients (48%) need further investigation. Using our unique infrastructure, we developed a pathway to expedite muscle disease diagnoses. Our data suggest that exome sequencing should be used for pathogenic variant detection in patients with suspected genetic muscle diseases, focusing first on the most common disease genes described here, and subsequently in rarer and newly characterized disease genes

Tegumentary leishmaniasis and coinfections other than HIV

<div><p>Background</p><p>Tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) is a disease of skin and/or mucosal tissues caused by <i>Leishmania</i> parasites. TL patients may concurrently carry other pathogens, which may influence the clinical outcome of TL.</p><p>Methodology and principal findings</p><p>This review focuses on the frequency of TL coinfections in human populations, interactions between <i>Leishmania</i> and other pathogens in animal models and human subjects, and implications of TL coinfections for clinical practice. For the purpose of this review, TL is defined as all forms of cutaneous (localised, disseminated, or diffuse) and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection, superinfection with skin bacteria, and skin manifestations of visceral leishmaniasis are not included. We searched MEDLINE and other databases and included 73 records: 21 experimental studies in animals and 52 studies about human subjects (mainly cross-sectional and case studies). Several reports describe the frequency of <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> coinfection in TL patients in Argentina (about 41%) and the frequency of helminthiasis in TL patients in Brazil (15% to 88%). Different hypotheses have been explored about mechanisms of interaction between different microorganisms, but no clear answers emerge. Such interactions may involve innate immunity coupled with regulatory networks that affect quality and quantity of acquired immune responses. Diagnostic problems may occur when concurrent infections cause similar lesions (e.g., TL and leprosy), when different pathogens are present in the same lesions (e.g., <i>Leishmania</i> and <i>Sporothrix schenckii</i>), or when similarities between phylogenetically close pathogens affect accuracy of diagnostic tests (e.g., serology for leishmaniasis and Chagas disease). Some coinfections (e.g., helminthiasis) appear to reduce the effectiveness of antileishmanial treatment, and drug combinations may cause cumulative adverse effects.</p><p>Conclusions and significance</p><p>In patients with TL, coinfection is frequent, it can lead to diagnostic errors and delays, and it can influence the effectiveness and safety of treatment. More research is needed to unravel how coinfections interfere with the pathogenesis of TL.</p></div

Treatment of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in special populations : a summary of evidence

We aimed to assess and synthesize the information available in the literature regarding the treatment of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in special populations. We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, LILACS, SciELO, Scopus, Cochrane Library and mRCT databases to identify clinical trials and observational studies that assessed the pharmacological treatment of the following groups of patients: pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, the elderly, individuals with chronic diseases and individuals with suppressed immune systems. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. The available evidence suggests that the treatments of choice for each population or disease entity are as follows: nursing mothers and children (meglumine antimoniate or pentamidine), patients with renal disease (amphotericin B or miltefosine), patients with heart disease (amphotericin B, miltefosine or pentamidine), immunosuppressed patients (liposomal amphotericin), the elderly (meglumine antimoniate), pregnant women (amphotericin B) and patients with liver disease (no evidence available). The quality of evidence is low or very low for all groups. Accurate controlled studies are required to fill in the gaps in evidence for treatment in special populations. Post-marketing surveillance programs could also collect relevant information to guide treatment decision-making

Using AHP method to evaluate e-payment system factors influencing mobile banking use in Iranian banks

In the mobile banking technology, the electronic payment systems need to be assessed from different viewpoints to boost the performance of these systems. Therefore, in this research, a multi-criteria decision making model is developed comprising the key factors that impact the mobile banking usage in the Iranian banks. From the literature, we developed a research model including four main criteria and 22 sub-criteria. AHP as the multi-criteria decision making method is used for ranking the criteria and sub-criteria to incorporate the research model. The obtained data from 12 experts in online banking systems were analysed by using Expert Choice software. The pairwise comparisons results revealed that the main criterion, the most important factor that influences the use of Iranian mobile banking, was the security infrastructure. Additionally, as the sub-criteria, authorisation in legal infrastructure, trust in socio-economical infrastructure, security in security infrastructure, and flexibility in technical infrastructure had high priority

HLA-G in patients with pemphigus vulgaris: does it correlate with disease severity?

Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease wi th worl dwi de di stri buti on. Human l eukocyte anti gen G (HLA-G) is postulated to be associated with this inflammatory and autoimmune condition. However, its role has not been well established in the literature. The study aimed to evaluate the plasma level of HLA-G in PV patients and assess its correlation with disease severity and compare it with normal subjects. Methods: Thirty PV patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. A blood sample was taken from each participant; samples were analyzed for the soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) plasma level by applying an ELISA kit (sHLA-G ELISA kit; Exbio, Czech Republic). Patients� clinical and demographic data were recorded and analyzed. Results: Higher levels of sHLA-G were seen in PV patients compared to the control group (P < 0.05). There was a negative linear relationship between plasma HLA-G level and PV based on all ABSIS indices except for oral involvement (-1 < R < 0); however, these correlations were not statistically significant (P�0.05). Conclusion: Our data showed higher plasma sHLA-G levels in PV patients, which did not correlate with disease severity. © 2022 Iranian Society of Dermatology

A new method for the purification of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase from human erythrocytes

The human erythrocyte is a rich raw material for the purification of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). We applied a simple and rapid procedure for the purification of SOD from human erythrocytes by ion exchange chromatography. The purified SOD had a specific activity of 2285.6 u/mg protein and gave a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and each of its to subunit has a molecular weight about 18600 daltons (SOD molecular weight is 37200 daltons). The physicochemical properties of the enzyme obtained by this method are identical to those of the native protein. This procedure appears, therefore, to be a convenient and easily method for isolating this enzyme