62 research outputs found

    Releases of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PAHs and HCB Through Bottom Ashes from Brick Kilns Operating with Different Kind of Fuels - Results from a Pilot Study in Mexico - A Contribution to the Update and Review of the Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases

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    The Standardized Toolkit for Identification and Quantification of Dioxin and Furan Releases is aimed at supporting the parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in setting up their national implementation plan, which includes the characterization of unintentional releases of POPs (in this case PCDD/Fs, PCBs and HCB) from all relevant sectors. To this end the toolkit combines sector specific activity data with related emission factors for releases to air, land, water, residues and products. In 2007 the Expert Group for updating and improving the Toolkit, chaired by the Secretariat of the SC (SSC) and UNEP, identified priority areas of reasearch. The group highlighted the need for screening POPs sources that so far are poorly characterized in the Toolkit. Among these, brick kilns in developing countries were given highest priority since so far, no data were available. The Expert Group recommended as a first step to measure soil or vegetation samples close to (small) brick kilns in developing countries to obtain preliminary orientation as to the impact from this source. In the fore field of the experimental planning the question in how far different kinds of fuels, in particular waste derived fuels, may impact the formation of POPs was approached through the analyses of bottom ashes from kilns co-incinerating waste in comparison with brick kilns operated with virgin wood. The results from bottom ash reveal a distinct impact on the presence of POPs in the brick making process when waste is co-incinerated, thus suggesting to include the brick kilns operated with waste fuels as a different category into the toolkit and to include the issue of co-incineration of waste into the experimental set up. The emission factors via the bottom ashes itself rangeJRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

    Cirugía de prótesis de cadera en el adulto con enfermedad de Legg-Calvé-Perthes

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    Objetivos: Revisar las cirugías de prótesis totales de cadera realizadas en nuestro hospital, determinar el origen de la artrosis e identificar cuántas se colocaron por coxartrosis secundarias a enfermedad de Legg-Calvé-Perthes. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo en el que se revisaron todas las cirugías de prótesis totales de cadera desde 2008 hasta diciembre de 2021. Se evaluaron las radiografías prequirúrgicas para determinar la etiología de la artrosis, y se consideraron variables, como lateralidad, sexo y edad en el momento de la intervención. Resultados: Se revisaron 1103 caderas en 935 pacientes. El 81% correspondía a coxartrosis primaria. En 11 caderas de 10 pacientes (1%), se detectó coxartrosis secundaria a la enfermedad de Legg-Calvé-Perthes. La media de la edad de estos pacientes era de 61 años. Conclusiones: Hay evidencia de que las alteraciones del crecimiento de la fisis femoral proximal o el sobrecrecimiento del trocánter mayor, propias de la enfermedad de Legg-Calvé-Perthes, pueden contribuir a la aparición de un choque femoroacetabular, con su consiguiente coxartrosis precoz. Es posible que algunas “mal clasificadas” coxartrosis primarias fueran identificadas así porque no existía otro dato sugerente de coxartrosis secundarias, y escondieran otra etiología evolucionada. Asimismo, proponemos el seguimiento del paciente joven con enfermedad de Legg-Calvé-Perthes, más allá del final del crecimiento, para identificar el choque femoroacetabular en sus inicios y poder ofrecer opciones terapéuticas artroscópicas

    A genome-wide association study follow-up suggests a possible role for PPARG in systemic sclerosis susceptibility

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    Introduction: A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) comprising a French cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) reported several non-HLA single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing a nominal association in the discovery phase. We aimed to identify previously overlooked susceptibility variants by using a follow-up strategy.<p></p> Methods: Sixty-six non-HLA SNPs showing a P value <10-4 in the discovery phase of the French SSc GWAS were analyzed in the first step of this study, performing a meta-analysis that combined data from the two published SSc GWASs. A total of 2,921 SSc patients and 6,963 healthy controls were included in this first phase. Two SNPs, PPARG rs310746 and CHRNA9 rs6832151, were selected for genotyping in the replication cohort (1,068 SSc patients and 6,762 healthy controls) based on the results of the first step. Genotyping was performed by using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Results: We observed nominal associations for both PPARG rs310746 (PMH = 1.90 × 10-6, OR, 1.28) and CHRNA9 rs6832151 (PMH = 4.30 × 10-6, OR, 1.17) genetic variants with SSc in the first step of our study. In the replication phase, we observed a trend of association for PPARG rs310746 (P value = 0.066; OR, 1.17). The combined overall Mantel-Haenszel meta-analysis of all the cohorts included in the present study revealed that PPARG rs310746 remained associated with SSc with a nominal non-genome-wide significant P value (PMH = 5.00 × 10-7; OR, 1.25). No evidence of association was observed for CHRNA9 rs6832151 either in the replication phase or in the overall pooled analysis.<p></p> Conclusion: Our results suggest a role of PPARG gene in the development of SSc

    Mucosal Immune Defence Gene Polymorphisms as Relevant Players in the Pathogenesis of IgA Vasculitis?

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    ITGAM–ITGAX (rs11150612, rs11574637), VAV3 rs17019602, CARD9 rs4077515, DEFA (rs2738048, rs10086568), and HORMAD2 rs2412971 are mucosal immune defence polymorphisms, that have an impact on IgA production, described as risk loci for IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Since IgAN and Immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV) share molecular mechanisms, with the aberrant deposit of IgA1 being the main pathophysiologic feature of both entities, we assessed the potential influence of the seven abovementioned polymorphisms on IgAV pathogenesis. These seven variants were genotyped in 381 Caucasian IgAV patients and 997 matched healthy controls. No statistically significant differences were observed in the genotype and allele frequencies of these seven polymorphisms when the whole cohort of IgAV patients and those with nephritis were compared to controls. Similar genotype and allele frequencies of all polymorphisms were disclosed when IgAV patients were stratified according to the age at disease onset or the presence/absence of gastrointestinal or renal manifestations. Likewise, no ITGAM–ITGAX and DEFA haplotype differences were observed when the whole cohort of IgAV patients, along with those with nephritis and controls, as well as IgAV patients, stratified according to the abovementioned clinical characteristics, were compared. Our results suggest that mucosal immune defence polymorphisms do not represent novel genetic risk factors for IgAV pathogenesis

    IgA Vasculitis: Influence of CD40, BLK and BANK1 Gene Polymorphisms

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    CD40, BLK and BANK1 genes involved in the development and signaling of B-cells are identified as susceptibility loci for numerous inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, we assessed the potential influence of CD40, BLK and BANK1 on the pathogenesis of immunoglobulin-A vasculitis (IgAV), predominantly a B-lymphocyte inflammatory condition. Three genetic variants within CD40 (rs1883832, rs1535045, rs4813003) and BLK (rs2254546, rs2736340, rs2618476) as well as two BANK1 polymorphisms (rs10516487, rs3733197), previously associated with inflammatory diseases, were genotyped in 382 Caucasian patients with IgAV and 955 sex- and ethnically matched healthy controls. No statistically significant differences were observed in the genotype and allele frequencies of CD40, BLK and BANK1 when IgAV patients and healthy controls were compared. Similar results were found when CD40, BLK and BANK1 genotypes or alleles frequencies were compared between patients with IgAV stratified according to the age at disease onset or to the presence/absence of gastrointestinal or renal manifestations. Moreover, no CD40, BLK and BANK1 haplotype differences were disclosed between patients with IgAV and healthy controls and between patients with IgAV stratified according to the clinical characteristics mentioned above. Our findings indicate that CD40, BLK and BANK1 do not contribute to the genetic background of IgAV

    Impact of interstitial lung disease on the survival of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension

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    To assess severity markers and outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-SSc/non-PAH-SSc), and the impact of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on PAH-SSc. Non-PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish SSc registry and PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish PAH registry were included. A total of 364 PAH-SSc and 1589 non-PAH-SSc patients were included. PAH-SSc patients had worse NYHA-functional class (NYHA-FC), worse forced vital capacity (FVC) (81.2 ± 20.6% vs 93.6 ± 20.6%, P < 0.001), worse tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (17.4 ± 5.2 mm vs 19.9 ± 6.7 mm, P < 0.001), higher incidence of pericardial effusion (30% vs 5.2%, P < 0.001) and similar prevalence of ILD (41.8% vs. 44.9%). In individuals with PAH-SSc, ILD was associated with worse hemodynamics and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Up-front combination therapy was used in 59.8% and 61.7% of patients with and without ILD, respectively. Five-year transplant-free survival rate was 41.1% in PAH-SSc patients and 93.9% in non-PAH-SSc patients (P < 0.001). Global survival of PAH-SSc patients was not affected by ILD regardless its severity. The multivariate survival analysis in PAH-SSc patients confirmed age at diagnosis, worse NYHA-FC, increased PVR, reduced DLCO, and lower management with up-front combination therapy as major risk factors. In conclusion, in PAH-SSc cohort risk of death was greatly increased by clinical, PFT, and hemodynamic factors, whereas it was decreased by up-front combination therapy. Concomitant ILD worsened hemodynamics and PFT in PAH-SSc but not survival regardless of FVC impairment

    Impact of interstitial lung disease on the survival of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension

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    To assess severity markers and outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with or without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH-SSc/non-PAH-SSc), and the impact of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on PAH-SSc. Non-PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish SSc registry and PAH-SSc patients from the Spanish PAH registry were included. A total of 364 PAH-SSc and 1589 non-PAH-SSc patients were included. PAH-SSc patients had worse NYHA-functional class (NYHA-FC), worse forced vital capacity (FVC) (81.2 +/- 20.6% vs 93.6 +/- 20.6%, P < 0.001), worse tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) (17.4 +/- 5.2 mm vs 19.9 +/- 6.7 mm, P < 0.001), higher incidence of pericardial effusion (30% vs 5.2%, P < 0.001) and similar prevalence of ILD (41.8% vs. 44.9%). In individuals with PAH-SSc, ILD was associated with worse hemodynamics and pulmonary function tests (PFT). Up-front combination therapy was used in 59.8% and 61.7% of patients with and without ILD, respectively. Five-year transplant-free survival rate was 41.1% in PAH-SSc patients and 93.9% in non-PAH-SSc patients (P < 0.001). Global survival of PAH-SSc patients was not affected by ILD regardless its severity. The multivariate survival analysis in PAH-SSc patients confirmed age at diagnosis, worse NYHA-FC, increased PVR, reduced DLCO, and lower management with up-front combination therapy as major risk factors. In conclusion, in PAH-SSc cohort risk of death was greatly increased by clinical, PFT, and hemodynamic factors, whereas it was decreased by up-front combination therapy. Concomitant ILD worsened hemodynamics and PFT in PAH-SSc but not survival regardless of FVC impairment

    Long-Term Real-World Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab in Crohn’s Disease Patients: The SUSTAIN Study

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    Background Large real-world-evidence studies are required to confirm the durability of response, effectiveness, and safety of ustekinumab in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients in real-world clinical practice. Methods A retrospective, multicentre study was conducted in Spain in patients with active CD who had received ≥1 intravenous dose of ustekinumab for ≥6 months. Primary outcome was ustekinumab retention rate; secondary outcomes were to identify predictive factors for drug retention, short-term remission (week 16), loss of response and predictive factors for short-term efficacy and loss of response, and ustekinumab safety. Results A total of 463 patients were included. Mean baseline Harvey-Bradshaw Index was 8.4. A total of 447 (96.5%) patients had received prior biologic therapy, 141 (30.5%) of whom had received ≥3 agents. In addition, 35.2% received concomitant immunosuppressants, and 47.1% had ≥1 abdominal surgery. At week 16, 56% had remission, 70% had response, and 26.1% required dose escalation or intensification; of these, 24.8% did not subsequently reduce dose. After a median follow-up of 15 months, 356 (77%) patients continued treatment. The incidence rate of ustekinumab discontinuation was 18% per patient-year of follow-up. Previous intestinal surgery and concomitant steroid treatment were associated with higher risk of ustekinumab discontinuation, while a maintenance schedule every 12 weeks had a lower risk; neither concomitant immunosuppressants nor the number of previous biologics were associated with ustekinumab discontinuation risk. Fifty adverse events were reported in 39 (8.4%) patients; 4 of them were severe (2 infections, 1 malignancy, and 1 fever). Conclusions Ustekinumab is effective and safe as short- and long-term treatment in a refractory cohort of CD patients in real-world clinical practice
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