Assessment of serum neopterin as an inflammatory and cardiovascular marker in type 1 and 2 diabetes complicated by diabetic foot syndrome: a comparative study

  Introduction. Neopterin is a byproduct of nerve trans­mitter coenzyme that is synthesized and released by macrophages and T-lymphocytes. It is a useful inflam­matory marker of diabetes progression, as its levels increase with the progression of the disease from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to compare serum neopterin levels between type-1 and type-2 diabetes patients with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS), and assess the relation between serum neopterin levels and cardiometabolic risk factors. Materials and methods. This observational cross-sec­tional study was carried out in the Centre of Diabetes Mellitus in Erbil, Iraq from 1st January to 31st December 2016. A total of 30 healthy subjects and 140 patients with DFS [70 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 70 patients with T2D] were enrolled in the study. The main outcome measurements included anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting serum glucose, glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile, neopterin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Results. Serum neopterin levels of T2D patients were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than the corresponding levels of T1D patients (18.6 ± 2.1 nmol/L vs. 12.6 ± 1.3 nmol/L). The changes in the serum neopterin levels were related to cardiometabolic risk factors. In T1D, a significant positive correlation between serum levels of neopterin and diastolic blood pressure were ob­served, while in T2D the significant positive correlation was found between fasting serum triglyceride levels and neopterin levels. Serum levels of neopterin were insignificantly correlated with hs-CRP in T1D and T2D. Conclusions. In patients with DFS, serum neopterin lev­els are significantly higher in those with T2D compared with T1D patients. Neopterin levels are not related to the grading of DFS, but are invariably related to cardio­metabolic risk factors. (Clin Diabetol 2018; 7, 2: 91–96

Ocena stężenia neopteryny w surowicy jako wskaźnika zapalenia i czynnika ryzyka kardiometabolicznego u chorych na cukrzycę typu 1 i typu 2 powikłaną zespołem stopy cukrzycowej — badanie porównawcze

Introduction. Neopterin is a byproduct of nerve trans­mitter coenzyme that is synthesized and released by macrophages and T-lymphocytes. It is a useful inflam­matory marker of diabetes progression, as its levels increase with the progression of the disease from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to compare serum neopterin levels between type-1 and type-2 diabetes patients with diabetic foot syndrome (DFS), and assess the relation between serum neopterin levels and cardiometabolic risk factors. Materials and methods. This observational cross-sec­tional study was carried out in the Centre of Diabetes Mellitus in Erbil, Iraq from 1st January to 31st December 2015. A total of 30 healthy subjects and 140 patients with DFS [70 patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 70 patients with T2D] were enrolled in the study. The main outcome measurements included anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting serum glucose, glycated haemoglobin, lipid profile, neopterin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Results. Serum neopterin levels of T2D patients were significantly (p &lt; 0.001) higher than the correspond­ing levels of T1D patients (18.6 ± 2.1 mg/L vs. 12.6 ± 1.3 mg/L). The changes in the serum neopterin levels were related to cardiometabolic risk factors. In T1D, a significant positive correlation between serum levels of neopterin and diastolic blood pressure were ob­served, while in T2D the significant positive correlation was found between fasting serum triglyceride levels and neopterin levels. Serum levels of neopterin were insignificantly correlated with hs-CRP in T1D and T2D. Conclusions. In patients with DFS, serum neopterin lev­els are significantly higher in those with T2D compared with T1D patients. Neopterin levels are not related to the grading of DFS, but are invariably related to car­diometabolic risk factors.  Wstęp. Neopteryna jest produktem ubocznym reakcji koenzymu przekaźnika nerwowego syntetyzowanym i wydzielanym przez makrofagi i limfocyty T. Jest ona użytecznym wskaźnikiem zapalnym zaawansowania cukrzycy, ponieważ jej stężenia zwiększają się w wraz z progresją choroby od stanu przedcukrzycowego do jawnej cukrzycy typu 2 (T2D). Badanie przeprowadzo­no w celu porównania stężeń neopteryny w surowicy u chorych z zespołem stopy cukrzycowej (DFS) będącym powikłaniem cukrzycy typu 1 lub typu 2. Dodatkowo za­mierzano ocenić zależność między stężeniami neopteryny w surowicy a czynnikami ryzyka kardiometabolicznego. Materiał i metody. Badanie o charakterze obserwacyj­nym przeprowadzono w ośrodku diabetologicznym w mieście Erbil w Iraku od 1 stycznia do 31 grudnia 2016 roku. Do badania włączono 30 zdrowych osób oraz 140 chorych na cukrzycę z DFS — 70 z cukrzycą typu 1 (T1D) i 70 z T2D. Do głównych parametrów ocenianych w badaniu należały: pomiary antropometryczne, ciśnienie tętnicze, glikemia na czczo, hemoglobina glikowana, profil lipidowy, stężenie neopteryny i stężenie białka C-reaktywnego oznaczanego metodą wysokoczułą (hs-CRP). Wyniki. Stężenie neopteryny w surowicy było istotnie wyższe (p < 0,001) u chorych na T2D niż u chorych na T1D (18,6 ± 2,1 nmol/l vs. 12,6 ± 1,3 nmol/l). Zmiany wartości stężeń neopteryny w surowicy wiązały się z występowaniem czynników ryzyka kardiometabolicz­nego. U chorych na T1D zaobserwowano istotną dodat­nią korelację między stężeniem neopteryny w surowicy a ciśnieniem rozkurczowym, natomiast u chorych na T2D wykazano istotną dodatnią korelację między stę­żeniem neopteryny a stężeniem triglicerydów na czczo. Zarówno u chorych na T1D, jak i u osób z T2D stężenie neopteryny w surowicy wiązało się z hs-CRP. Wnioski. U grupie chorych z DFS stężenie neopteryny w surowicy było istotnie wyższe u osób z T2D niż u pacjentów z T1D. Nie stwierdzono zależności między stężeniem neopteryny a stopniem ciężkości DFS, wykazano natomiast związek z czynnikami kardiome­tabolicznymi

Population Structure of Pythium irregulare, P. ultimum, and P. sylvaticum in Forest Nursery Soils of Oregon and Washington

Pythium species are important soilborne pathogens occurring in the forest nursery industry of the Pacific Northwest. However, little is known about their genetic diversity or population structure and it is suspected that isolates are moved among forest nurseries on seedling stock and shared field equipment. In order to address these concerns, a total of 115 isolates of three Pythium species (P. irregulare, P. sylvaticum, and P. ultimum) were examined at three forest nurseries using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Analyses revealed distinct patterns of intraspecific variation for the three species. P. sylvaticum exhibited the most diversity, followed by P. irregulare, while substantial clonality was found in P. ultimum. For both P. irregulare and P. sylvaticum, but not P. ultimum, there was evidence for significant variation among nurseries. However, all three species also exhibited at least two distinct lineages not associated with the nursery of origin. Finally, evidence was found that certain lineages and clonal genotypes, including fungicide-resistant isolates, are shared among nurseries, indicating that pathogen movement has occurred

TPH2 Gene Polymorphisms and Major Depression – A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthetic pathway for brain serotonin and is considered key factor for maintaining normal serotonin transmission in the central neuron system (CNS). Gene-disease association studies have reported a relationship between TPH2 and major depressive disorder (MDD) in different populations, however subsequent studies have produced contradictory results. OBJECTIVES: We performed a systematic overview and a meta-analysis with all available data up-to-date. METHODS: We scrutinized PubMed, Embase, HuGNet and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI ) and last update was held on October 2011. We also searched the manuscripts and the supplementary documents of the published genome-wide association studies in the field. Effect sizes of independent loci that have been studied in more than 3 articles were synthesized using fixed and random effects models. RESULTS: We found 27 eligible articles that studied a total of 74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Finally, 12 independent loci were included in the meta-analysis. The synthesis of the data shown that two SNPs (rs4570625 and rs17110747) were associated with MDD using fixed effects models. SNP rs4570625 had low heterogeneity and remained significant using the more conservative random effects calculations with a summary OR = 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73-0.96). CONCLUSION: The current study identified a SNP (rs4570625) with strong epidemiological credibility; however more studies are required to provide robust evidence for other weak associations

Individualism and stock price crash risk

Employing a sample of 26,473 firms across 42 countries from 1990 to 2013, we find that firms located in countries with higher individualism have higher stock price crash risk. Furthermore, individualism can be transmitted by foreign investors from overseas markets to influence local firms’ crash risk, and can exacerbate the impact of firm risk taking and earnings management on crash risk. Moreover, the positive relation between individualism and crash risk is amplified during the global financial crisis and attenuated by enhanced country-level financial information transparency and the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards

WeilandPopulationStructurePythium.pdf

Pythium species are important soilborne pathogens occurring in the forest nursery industry of the Pacific Northwest. However, little is known about their genetic diversity or population structure and it is suspected that isolates are moved among forest nurseries on seedling stock and shared field equipment. In order to address these concerns, a total of 115 isolates of three Pythium species (P. irregulare, P. sylvaticum, and P. ultimum) were examined at three forest nurseries using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Analyses revealed distinct patterns of intraspecific variation for the three species. P. sylvaticum exhibited the most diversity, followed by P. irregulare, while substantial clonality was found in P. ultimum. For both P. irregulare and P. sylvaticum, but not P. ultimum, there was evidence for significant variation among nurseries. However, all three species also exhibited at least two distinct lineages not associated with the nursery of origin. Finally, evidence was found that certain lineages and clonal genotypes, including fungicide-resistant isolates, are shared among nurseries, indicating that pathogen movement has occurred