Evidence of suppression of onchocerciasis transmission in the Venezuelan Amazonian focus.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) has set goals for onchocerciasis elimination in Latin America by 2015. Most of the six previously endemic countries are attaining this goal by implementing twice a year (and in some foci, quarterly) mass ivermectin (Mectizan®) distribution. Elimination of transmission has been verified in Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico. Challenges remain in the Amazonian focus straddling Venezuela and Brazil, where the disease affects the hard-to-reach Yanomami indigenous population. We provide evidence of suppression of Onchocerca volvulus transmission by Simulium guianense s.l. in 16 previously hyperendemic Yanomami communities in southern Venezuela after 15 years of 6-monthly and 5 years of 3-monthly mass ivermectin treatment. METHODS: Baseline and monitoring and evaluation parasitological, ophthalmological, entomological and serological surveys were conducted in selected sentinel and extra-sentinel communities of the focus throughout the implementation of the programme. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2012–2015, clinico-parasitological surveys indicate a substantial decrease in skin microfilarial prevalence and intensity of infection; accompanied by no evidence (or very low prevalence and intensity) of ocular microfilariae in the examined population. Of a total of 51,341 S. guianense flies tested by PCR none had L3 infection (heads only). Prevalence of infective flies and seasonal transmission potentials in 2012–2013 were, respectively, under 1 % and 20 L3/person/transmission season. Serology in children aged 1–10 years demonstrated that although 26 out of 396 (7 %) individuals still had Ov-16 antibodies, only 4/218 (2 %) seropositives were aged 1–5 years. CONCLUSIONS: We report evidence of recent transmission and morbidity suppression in some communities of the focus representing 75 % of the Yanomami population and 70 % of all known communities. We conclude that onchocerciasis transmission could be feasibly interrupted in the Venezuelan Amazonian focus. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1313-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Neuromuscular Consequences of an Extreme Mountain Ultra-Marathon

We investigated the physiological consequences of one of the most extreme exercises realized by humans in race conditions: a 166-km mountain ultra-marathon (MUM) with 9500 m of positive and negative elevation change. For this purpose, (i) the fatigue induced by the MUM and (ii) the recovery processes over two weeks were assessed. Evaluation of neuromuscular function (NMF) and blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation were performed before and immediately following (n = 22), and 2, 5, 9 and 16 days after the MUM (n = 11) in experienced ultra-marathon runners. Large maximal voluntary contraction decreases occurred after MUM (−35% [95% CI: −28 to −42%] and −39% [95% CI: −32 to −46%] for KE and PF, respectively), with alteration of maximal voluntary activation, mainly for KE (−19% [95% CI: −7 to −32%]). Significant modifications in markers of muscle damage and inflammation were observed after the MUM as suggested by the large changes in creatine kinase (from 144±94 to 13,633±12,626 UI L−1), myoglobin (from 32±22 to 1,432±1,209 µg L−1), and C-Reactive Protein (from <2.0 to 37.7±26.5 mg L−1). Moderate to large reductions in maximal compound muscle action potential amplitude, high-frequency doublet force, and low frequency fatigue (index of excitation-contraction coupling alteration) were also observed for both muscle groups. Sixteen days after MUM, NMF had returned to initial values, with most of the recovery process occurring within 9 days of the race. These findings suggest that the large alterations in NMF after an ultra-marathon race are multi-factorial, including failure of excitation-contraction coupling, which has never been described after prolonged running. It is also concluded that as early as two weeks after such an extreme running exercise, maximal force capacities have returned to baseline

The Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) on the SMILE Mission

The Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) is part of the scientific payload of the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission. SMILE is a joint science mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and is due for launch in 2025. SXI is a compact X-ray telescope with a wide field-of-view (FOV) capable of encompassing large portions of Earth’s magnetosphere from the vantage point of the SMILE orbit. SXI is sensitive to the soft X-rays produced by the Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX) process produced when heavy ions of solar wind origin interact with neutral particles in Earth’s exosphere. SWCX provides a mechanism for boundary detection within the magnetosphere, such as the position of Earth’s magnetopause, because the solar wind heavy ions have a very low density in regions of closed magnetic field lines. The sensitivity of the SXI is such that it can potentially track movements of the magnetopause on timescales of a few minutes and the orbit of SMILE will enable such movements to be tracked for segments lasting many hours. SXI is led by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom (UK) with collaborating organisations on hardware, software and science support within the UK, Europe, China and the United States

The Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) on the SMILE Mission

The Soft X-ray Imager (SXI) is part of the scientific payload of the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission. SMILE is a joint science mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and is due for launch in 2025. SXI is a compact X-ray telescope with a wide field-of-view (FOV) capable of encompassing large portions of Earth’s magnetosphere from the vantage point of the SMILE orbit. SXI is sensitive to the soft X-rays produced by the Solar Wind Charge eXchange (SWCX) process produced when heavy ions of solar wind origin interact with neutral particles in Earth’s exosphere. SWCX provides a mechanism for boundary detection within the magnetosphere, such as the position of Earth’s magnetopause, because the solar wind heavy ions have a very low density in regions of closed magnetic field lines. The sensitivity of the SXI is such that it can potentially track movements of the magnetopause on timescales of a few minutes and the orbit of SMILE will enable such movements to be tracked for segments lasting many hours. SXI is led by the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom (UK) with collaborating organisations on hardware, software and science support within the UK, Europe, China and the United States

Metallothionein and heat shock protein expression during acute liver injury and regeneration in rats

Metallothioneins (MT) are cytosolic proteins rich in cysteine which play a physiological role in metal ion homeostasis. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are expressed in various organs in response to different stress stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to examine the intrahepatic distribution of MT and HSP-27, -70 and -90 in two different experimental models of acute liver injury and regeneration, induced by either thioacetamide, or carbon tetrachloride administration in male Wistar rats. Toxicological endpoints and markers of hepatocellular regeneration were assessed at various time points following toxin administration. The enzymatic activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases in serum, and histological findings in the liver were used to estimate toxin-induced injury. Tritiated thymidine incorporation into hepatic DNA, liver thymidine kinase activity and hepatocyte mitotic index were used to estimate liver regeneration. MT and HSPs were detected immunohistochemically. At the time of maximum liver injury, moderate MT and intense HSPs expression was prominent in hepatocytes in the vicinity of necrotic areas. At the time of maximum hepatocellular proliferation, intense MT and HSP-90 staining was evident in all hepatocytes, while at the same time, mild HSP-27 and HSP-70 immunoreactivity was noted. Our findings indicate that the differential distribution of MT and HSPs in the liver after toxin-induced injury, in common with the observed pattern of staining, reflect liver proliferating capacity

Circulating adiponectin in preterm infants fed Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LCPUFA)-supplemented formula - A randomized controlled study

Adiponectin has potent insulin-sensitizing effects, improves lipid metabolism, and potentially protects against the development of metabolic syndrome. Thus, increasing adiponectin levels in preterm infants at risk for developing metabolic syndrome may be of special interest. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) on serum adiponectin and lipid concentrations in preterm infants. Adiponectin and lipid levels of 60 healthy preterm infants [gestational age 32.7 (1.9) wk] randomly assigned to be fed either 1) a formula containing LCPUFA [arachidonic and docosahexanoic] (+LCPUFA group) or 2) the same formula without LCPUFA (-LCPUFA/control group), were determined at mean (SD) 33.8 (11.7) d. Adiponectin and HDL-C concentrations were significantly higher in the +LCPUFA group than in controls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.01, respectively); whereas, triglyceride levels were lower (p = 0.06). Adiponectin correlated positively with HDL-C levels and negatively with triglyceride levels in the +LCPUFA group but not in the controls. In conclusion, circulating adiponectin concentrations were higher in preterm infants fed a formula containing LCPUFA than infants fed an LCPUFA-free formula and they correlated with lipidemic profile. © International Pediatrics Research Foundation, Inc. 2008. All Rights Reserved

Disparity in circulating adiponectin multimers between term and preterm infants

Aims: To study circulating levels and distribution of adiponectin multimers [low molecular weight (LMW)-, medium molecular weight (MMW)- and high molecular weight (HMW)-adiponectin] in preterm and full-term infants. Methods: Total serum adiponectin and its multimers were measured in 40 healthy infants at the age of one month and associations with anthropometric parameters [body weight and length, body mass index (BMI)], weight gain and metabolic indices (glucose, insulin) were examined. Twenty of the infants were born preterm (gestational age 33.2±1.6 weeks). Results: LMW-adiponectin level and its fractional ratio to total adiponectin were significantly higher in full-term than in preterm infants (P&lt;0.001 and P&lt;0.001, respectively), whereas, MMW-adiponectin level and its ratio were significantly lower (P=0.03 and P=0.01, respectively). HMW-adiponectin did not differ significantly between full-term and preterm infants and accounted for almost 60% of total adiponectin levels in both groups. HMW-adiponectin, but not MMW adiponectin or LMW adiponectin, correlated significantly with anthropometric measurements, similarly to total adiponectin; in addition, HMW adiponectin correlated significantly with weight gain. Conclusions: HMW adiponectin is the most prevalent form in infants. Circulating levels and distribution of MMW- and LMW-adiponectin differ between full-term and preterm infants, but the role of these adiponectin multimers needs to be studied further. Copyright © by Walter de Gruyter