Impaired Insulin sensitivity and Insulin secretion in Haemodialysis patients with and without Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

The aim of our study was to investigate insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in hemodialysis (HD) patients without diabetes. We hypothesized that parathyroid gland function was a determinant of insulin sensitivity and/or beta cell function. The study was a randomized, cross-sectional one and patients were divided into two groups (total 27 patients), Gp.1 being those with relative hypoparathyroidism (iPTH<200 pg/ml) ­ 9 (33.3%), Gp.2 those with hyperparathyroidism (iPTH200 pg/ml) ­ 18 (66.6%) with Gp.3 (consisting of 43 healthy subjects acting as controls). Insulin resistance and insulin secretion were calculated from fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations by the Homeostatic Model Assessment score (HOMA IR and HOMA BETA). The value of HOMA IR (3.28±1.3 for Gp.1, 4.80±2.4 for Gp.2, 1.70±0.8 for Gp.3) as well as the glucose level (5.0±1.0mmol/l in Gp.1, 5.2±0.8mmol/ l in Gp.2, 4.6±0.4mmol/l in Gp.3) was significantly higher in HD patients than in control subjects. Excessive insulin secretion was present in HD patients (as assessed by HOMA BETA) significantly higher only in Gp.1 (p=0.02).peer-reviewe

Myeloid Sarcoma of the Skin in a Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

ABSTRACT We report the case of a 76-year-old woman who presented with asymptomatic extensive erythematous. Firm plaques were noted over the right cheek. Complete blood count was normal, as was a peripheral smear. An excision biopsy taken from the cheek showed infiltration of the dermis and hypodermis with atypical cells which were strongly positive for human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR) and lysozyme and were moderately myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme. The results of immunohistochemical staining for CD34, CD117, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD23, CD56, and ALK-1 were negative. Bone marrow analysis indicated myelodysplastic syndrome RAEB 1 while cytogenetic finding showed tetrasomy 8. It was recommended that the patient undergo local radiotherapy of skin lesions, but she refused and was lost to follow-up. KEY WORDS: skin; myeloid sarcoma; myelodysplastic syndrome </p

INDIVIDUAL AND GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY INFLUENCE THE DIAGNOSIS OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

Background: In order to explore whether gender differences are present in self-reports on personality measures when all Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) participants are diagnosed at an equal intensity, the aim of this study was to investigate individual and gender differences in personality between healthy participants and those suffering from severe feature MDD. Subjects and methods: The sample consisted of 632 participants: 385 in the healthy control group and 247 MDD, the latter comprised of patients in their first diagnosed episode or recurrent. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to measure symptom severity. Beck’s Depression Inventory was administered when depression symptoms had lessened, establishing it as minor when filling out the personality questionnaire (NEO-PI-R). Results: The results indicate a broad difference in personality between the healthy control and the MDD groups. High neuroticism and low extraversion, accompanied by low scores on openness and conscientiousness, were the most important personality dimensions in understanding distinctions. While agreeableness did not indicate any important role, it did significantly influence the understanding of gender differences within groups. Females were found more agreeable in both groups, but those from the healthy group were also more open and conscientiousness than healthy males. Females from the MDD group were found to be also higher on neuroticism than males of the same group. Conclusions: A general conclusion from the study is that personality dimensions are more important in understanding vulnerability to depression in comparison to gender differences in personality within groups. As females in the MDD group tend to self-report higher levels of agreeableness and neuroticism than do males in the same group when the level of their depression is categorized as equal MDD-severe type, this may influence practitioners to unequally diagnose depression in males and females

Myeloid Sarcoma of the Skin in a Patient with Myelodysplastic Syndrome

ABSTRACT We report the case of a 76-year-old woman who presented with asymptomatic extensive erythematous. Firm plaques were noted over the right cheek. Complete blood count was normal, as was a peripheral smear. An excision biopsy taken from the cheek showed infiltration of the dermis and hypodermis with atypical cells which were strongly positive for human leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR) and lysozyme and were moderately myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme. The results of immunohistochemical staining for CD34, CD117, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD23, CD56, and ALK-1 were negative. Bone marrow analysis indicated myelodysplastic syndrome RAEB 1 while cytogenetic finding showed tetrasomy 8. It was recommended that the patient undergo local radiotherapy of skin lesions, but she refused and was lost to follow-up. KEY WORDS: skin; myeloid sarcoma; myelodysplastic syndrome </p

Detection of atomic spin labels in a lipid bi-layer using a single-spin nanodiamond probe

Magnetic field fluctuations arising from fundamental spins are ubiquitous in nanoscale biology, and are a rich source of information about the processes that generate them. However, the ability to detect the few spins involved without averaging over large ensembles has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate the detection of gadolinium spin labels in an artificial cell membrane under ambient conditions using a single-spin nanodiamond sensor. Changes in the spin relaxation time of the sensor located in the lipid bilayer were optically detected and found to be sensitive to near-individual proximal gadolinium atomic labels. The detection of such small numbers of spins in a model biological setting, with projected detection times of one second, opens a new pathway for in-situ nanoscale detection of dynamical processes in biology.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figure

Hypermethylation of p15 Gene in Diffuse - Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Association with Less Aggressiveness of the Disease

In this study, methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the potential prognostic significance of the methylation status of p15, p16, MGMT, and DAPK genes in 51 specimens of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Hypermethylation of p15 gene was significantly more prevalent in patients without relapse (p = 0.001) and there was a trend toward more frequent presence of p15 methylation in patients without death outcome within 5-year follow-up period (p = 0.086) Also, there was a trend toward accumulation of p15 methylation with favorable clinicopathological parameters including: age 60 years (p = 0.091), normal levels of lactate dehydrogenase (p = 0.090), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status LT 2 (p = 0.095), and low/intermediate low International Prognostic Index (p = 0.076). In the female group and group of the patients without bulky tumor mass, treated with chemotherapeutic regimens including rituximab, methylation of p15 was significantly related to longer overall survival (p = 0.036 and 0.027, respectively). Our results suggest that promoter methylation of p15 gene could have prognostic value in DLBCL patients treated with rituximab when used in combination with gender and tumor size