Haptoglobin genotype and risk of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a study on a Spanish population

[en] BACKGROUND: Few reports have studied the possible association between the haptoglobin (Hp) genotype and the risk of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with conflicting results to date. AIMS: To study whether the 2-2 Hp genotype is associated with an increased risk of overt DN in a Spanish population with T1D. METHODS: We performed a case-control study in a Spanish population. CASES: T1D patients with end-stage renal disease (stage 5 of NKF-KDOQI), awaiting reno-pancreatic transplantation or having already been transplanted (reno-pancreatic or renal alone). CONTROLS: T1D patients, matched for sex and time of diabetes evolution, with preserved renal function and normal urinary albumin excretion. Hp genotyping was done using polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis. RESULTS: We included 57 cases and 57 controls in the study. There were no statistically significant differences in gender (70% vs. 61% males, p=1.0) or the duration of diabetes (23.0 ± 6.7 vs. 20.8 ± 9.3 years; p=0.1), although the age of onset of diabetes was lower in the cases (14.1 ± 6.8 vs. 17.7 ± 10.1 years, p=0.03). The frequency of genotypes 1-1, 1-2 and 2-2 was 19.3%, 42.1% and 38.6% in cases and 17.5%, 49.1% and 33.4% in controls, respectively, with no statistically significant differences between groups (p=0.8). Conditional logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between genotype 2-2 of Hp and the development of DN (OR 1.14, CI 0.52-2.52). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample of a Spanish population with T1D, no association was found between the Hp genotype and risk of overt DN. [spa] Antecedentes: Pocos trabajos han estudiado la asociación entre el genotipo de la haptoglobina (Hp) y el riesgo de nefropatía diabética (ND) en pacientes con diabetes tipo 1 (DM1), con resultados contradictorios hasta ahora. Objetivos: Estudiar si el genotipo 2-2 de Hp se asocia a un incremento del riesgo de ND en población española con DM1. Métodos: Se diseñó un estudio de casos y controles. CASOS: pacientes con DM1 y enfermedad renal crónica estadio 5 de la NKF-KDOQI, en espera de trasplante reno-pancreático o que han sido trasplantados (reno-pancreático o renal aislado). CONTROLES: pacientes con DM1, apareados por sexo y tiempo de evolución de la diabetes, con función renal y excreción urinaria de albúmina normales. El genotipo de Hp se realizó mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa y electroforesis. Resultados: Incluimos 57 casos y 57 controles, sin diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el sexo (70 % frente a 61 % varones, p = 1,0) o duración de la diabetes (23,0 ± 6,7 frente a 20,8 ± 9,3 años; p = 0,1), aunque la edad de inicio de la diabetes fue menor en los casos (14,1 ± 6,8 frente a 17,7 ± 10,1 años, p = 0,03). La frecuencia de genotipos 1-1, 1-2 y 2-2 fue de 19,3 %, 42,1 % y 38,6 % en los casos y de 17,5 %, 49,1 % y 33,4 % en los controles, respectivamente, sin diferencias significativas (p = 0,8). El análisis de regresión logística condicional no mostró asociación entre el genotipo 2-2 de Hp y el desarrollo de ND (OR 1,14, IC 0,52-2,52). Conclusiones: En nuestra muestra de población española con DM1, no se ha hallado asociación entre el genotipo de Hp y el riesgo de ND

Visual decline in aged mice is delayed by proinsulin

1 p.Visual decline is normally associated to the aging process.We search for cellular and molecular processes associated to normal aging. In addition, we have previously shown that human proinsulin (hPi) delays vision loss, as determined by electroretinography (ERG),and retinal degeneration, as determined by photoreceptor counting,in the rd10 mouse and the P23H rat models of Retinitis Pigmentosa.Our aim is to reveal additional potential benets of a hPi-based treatment in the aged retina.CONSOLIDER CSD2010-00045 SpainPeer reviewe

Phase-field model for Hele-Shaw flows with arbitrary viscosity contrast. II. Numerical study

We implement a phase-field simulation of the dynamics of two fluids with arbitrary viscosity contrast in a rectangular Hele-Shaw cell. We demonstrate the use of this technique in different situations including the linear regime, the stationary Saffman-Taylor fingers and the multifinger competition dynamics, for different viscosity contrasts. The method is quantitatively tested against analytical predictions and other numerical results. A detailed analysis of convergence to the sharp interface limit is performed for the linear dispersion results. We show that the method may be a useful alternative to more traditional methods.Comment: 13 pages in revtex, 5 PostScript figures. changes: 1 reference added, figs. 4 and 5 rearrange

La expresión de proinsulina atenúa los trastornos de la retina asociados a la edad en distintos modelos de envejecimiento fisiopatológico

Póster presentado en el XXXVI Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular SEBBM, celebrada del 3 al 6 de septiembre de 2013 en Madrid (España)Peer Reviewe

Phase-field model for Hele-Shaw flows with arbitrary viscosity contrast. I. Theoretical approach

We present a phase-field model for the dynamics of the interface between two inmiscible fluids with arbitrary viscosity contrast in a rectangular Hele-Shaw cell. With asymptotic matching techniques we check the model to yield the right Hele-Shaw equations in the sharp-interface limit and compute the corrections to these equations to first order in the interface thickness. We also compute the effect of such corrections on the linear dispersion relation of the planar interface. We discuss in detail the conditions on the interface thickness to control the accuracy and convergence of the phase-field model to the limiting Hele-Shaw dynamics. In particular, the convergence appears to be slower for high viscosity contrasts.Comment: 17 pages in revtex. changes: 1 reference adde

Describing Complexity in Palliative Home Care Through HexCom : A Cross-Sectional, Multicenter Study

Complexity has become a core issue in caring for patients with advanced disease and/or at the end-of-life. The Hexagon of Complexity (HexCom) is a complexity assessment model in the process of validation in health-care settings. Our objective is to use the instrument to describe differences in complexity across disease groups in specific home care for advanced disease and/or at the end-of-life patients, both in general and as relates to each domain and subdomain. Cross-sectional study of home care was conducted in Catalonia. The instrument includes 6 domains of needs (clinical, psychological/emotional, social/family, spiritual, ethical, and death-related), 4 domains of resources (intrapersonal, interpersonal, transpersonal, and practical), and 3 levels of complexity (High (H), Moderate (M), and Low (L)). Interdisciplinary home care teams assessed and agreed on the level of complexity for each patient. Forty-three teams participated (74.1% of those invited). A total of 832 patients were assessed, 61.4% of which were cancer patients. Moderate complexity was observed in 385 (47.0%) cases and high complexity in 347 (42.4%). The median complexity score was 51 for cancer patients and 23 for patients with dementia (p<0.001). We observed the highest level of complexity in the social/family domain. Patients/families most frequently used interpersonal resources (80.5%). This study sheds light on the high-intensity work of support teams, the importance of the social/family domain and planning the place of death, substantial differences in needs and resources across disease groups, and the importance of relationship wellbeing at the end-of-life

Estimación de la radiación global diaria en zonas de topografía compleja utilizando modelos digitales del terreno e imágenes de Meteosat: comparación de los resultados

Ponencia presentada en: XXIX Jornadas Científicas de la AME y el VII Encuentro Hispano Luso de Meteorología celebrado en Pamplona, del 24 al 26 de abril de 2006.El conocimiento de la radiación solar es muy importante a la hora de diseñar sistemas solares tanto térmicos, como fotovoltaicos. En escalas locales, la topografía es el factor más importante modulador de la radiación solar en superficie. En este trabajo se estima la radiación global diaria en todo tipo de condiciones de cielo, en zonas que presentan una topografía compleja. Para ello se utilizará una metodología basada en Modelos Digitales del Terreno (MDT) a partir, por un lado, de medidas piranométricas y, por otro, de imágenes de satélite. Se pone de manifiesto que la aplicación del MDT sobre medidas piranométricas proporciona mejores resultados que las estimaciones a partir de imágenes de satélite, si bien la precisión obtenida (RMSE & MBE) es del mismo orden de magnitud en ambos casos

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey XVIII. Classifications and radial velocities of the B-type stars

We present spectral classifications for 438 B-type stars observed as part of the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey (VFTS) in the 30 Doradus region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Radial velocities are provided for 307 apparently single stars, and for 99 targets with radial-velocity variations which are consistent with them being spectroscopic binaries. We investigate the spatial distribution of the radial velocities across the 30 Dor region, and use the results to identify candidate runaway stars. Excluding potential runaways and members of two older clusters in the survey region (SL 639 and Hodge 301), we determine a systemic velocity for 30 Dor of 271.6 ± 12.2 kms-1 from 273 presumed single stars. Employing a 3σ criterion we identify nine candidate runaway stars (2.9% of the single stars with radial-velocity estimates). The projected rotational velocities of the candidate runaways appear to be significantly different to those of the full B-type sample, with a strong preference for either large (≥345 kms-1) or small (≤65 kms-1) rotational velocities. Of the candidate runaways, VFTS 358 (classified B0.5: V) has the largest differential radial velocity (−106.9 ± 16.2 kms-1), and a preliminary atmospheric analysis finds a significantly enriched nitrogen abundance of 12 + log (N/H) ≳ 8.5. Combined with a large rotational velocity (ve sin i = 345 ± 22 kms-1), this is suggestive of past binary interaction for this star

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy: report of 3 cases and review of the literature

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rare clinical entity where tumor cell embolisms in pulmonary circulation induce thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), respiratory failure, and subacute cor pulmonale.We describe 3 cases of PTTM that presented as the initial manifestation of metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma with TMA and pulmonary infiltrates.All 3 cases had similar clinical and laboratory features, which included moderate thrombocytopenia without renal failure, hemolysis with extremely high serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, leukoerythroblastosis in peripheral blood smear, altered coagulation tests, lymphadenopathies, and interstitial pulmonary infiltrates. All patients died within 2 weeks of diagnosis. Two cases were initially misdiagnosed as idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and treated with plasma exchange with no response. One patient had bone marrow infiltration by malignant cells. Autopsies revealed PTTM associated with gastric disseminated adenocarcinoma (signet-ring cell type in 2 patients and poorly differentiated type in 1).PTTM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with fulminant microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, such as atypical thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, mainly those with pulmonary infiltrates, disseminated intravascular coagulation, or Trousseau syndrome