Stainable hepatic iron in 341 African American adults at coroner/medical examiner autopsy

BACKGROUND: Results of previous autopsy studies indicate that increased hepatic iron stores or hepatic iron overload is common in African Americans dying in hospitals, but there are no reports of hepatic iron content in other cohorts of African Americans. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of heavy liver iron deposition in African American adults. Using established histochemical criteria, we graded Perls' acid ferrocyanide-reactive iron in the hepatocytes and Kupffer cells of 341 consecutive African American adults who were autopsied in the coroner/medical examiner office. Heavy staining was defined as grade 3 or 4 hepatocyte iron or grade 3 Kupffer cell iron. RESULTS: There were 254 men and 85 women (mean age ± 1 SD: 44 ± 13 y vs. 48 ± 14 y, respectively; p = 0.0255); gender was unstated or unknown in two subjects. Approximately one-third of subjects died of natural causes. Heavy staining was observed in 10.2% of men and 4.7% of women. 23 subjects had heavy hepatocyte staining only, six had heavy Kupffer cell staining only, and one had a mixed pattern of heavy staining. 15 subjects had histories of chronic alcoholism; three had heavy staining confined to hepatocytes. We analyzed the relationships of three continuous variables (age at death in years, hepatocyte iron grade, Kupffer cell iron grade) and two categorical variables (sex, cause of death (natural and non-natural causes)) in all 341 subjects using a correlation matrix with Bonferroni correction. This revealed two positive correlations: hepatocyte with Kupffer cell iron grades (p < 0.01), and male sex with hepatocyte iron grade (p < 0.05). We also analyzed the relationship of steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis/cirrhosis in 30 subjects with heavy iron staining using a correlation matrix with Bonferroni correction. There were significant positive correlations of steatosis with inflammation (r = 0.5641; p < 0.01), and of inflammation with fibrosis/cirrhosis (r = 0.6124; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present results confirm and extend previous observations that heavy liver iron staining is relatively common in African Americans. The pertinence of these observations to genetic and acquired causes of iron overload in African Americans is discussed

CK2 Phosphorylation of Schistosoma mansoni HMGB1 Protein Regulates Its Cellular Traffic and Secretion but Not Its DNA Transactions

parasite resides in mesenteric veins where fecundated female worms lay hundred of eggs daily. Some of the egg antigens are trapped in the liver and induce a vigorous granulomatous response. High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1), a nuclear factor, can also be secreted and act as a cytokine. Schistosome HMGB1 (SmHMGB1) is secreted by the eggs and stimulate the production of key cytokines involved in the pathology of schistosomiasis. Thus, understanding the mechanism of SmHMGB1 release becomes mandatory. Here, we addressed the question of how the nuclear SmHMGB1 can reach the extracellular space. eggs of infected animals and that SmHMGB1 that were localized in the periovular schistosomotic granuloma were phosphorylated.We showed that secretion of SmHMGB1 is regulated by phosphorylation. Moreover, our results suggest that egg-secreted SmHMGB1 may represent a new egg antigen. Therefore, the identification of drugs that specifically target phosphorylation of SmHMGB1 might block its secretion and interfere with the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis

Nursing teachers in clinical training areas: a phenomenological focus El docente de enfermería en los campos de práctica clínica: un enfoque fenomenológico O docente de enfermagem nos campos de prática clínica: um enfoque fenomenológico

During theoretical and practical activities in clinical training areas, nursing teachers provide the bases needed for the development of future professionals. The goal is to understand the experience of nursing teachers with nursing students in clinical training areas. Therefore, a phenomenological qualitative method was chosen, and Martin Heidegger&#39;s philosophical framework was used to support data analysis. Five faculty from a Chilean university participated in the study. The analysis permitted discovering the following themes: being a faculty at the hospital, contact with nurse practitioners and being a faculty in care teaching. The study demonstrated that teaching/care integration is a constructive element that facilitates the teaching and learning process, aiming to prepare nursing professionals who incorporate the bases of authentic care into their activities.<br>El docente de enfermería en el desarrollo de las actividades teórico-prácticas en los campos de práctica clínica proporciona las bases necesarias para el desarrollo del futuro profesional. El objetivo propuesto es comprender la vivencia de los docentes de enfermería junto a los estudiantes de enfermería, en los campos de práctica clínica. Para ello se optó por una metodología cualitativa fenomenológica, y para fundamentar el análisis de los datos, se utilizó el marco filosófico de Martín Heidegger. Cinco docentes de una universidad de Chile participaron del estudio. El análisis posibilitó descubrir los siguientes temas: ser docente en el hospital, la convivencia con enfermeras clínicas y ser docente en la enseñanza del cuidado. El estudio demostró que la integración docente/asistencial es un elemento constructivo y facilitador del proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje, que busca la formación de profesionales de enfermería que incorporen en su actuación las bases de un cuidado auténtico.<br>No desenvolvimento das atividades teórico-práticas nos campos de prática clínica, o docente de enfermagem proporciona as bases necessárias para o desenvolvimento do futuro profissional. O objetivo proposto foi compreender a vivência dos docentes de enfermagem, junto aos estudantes de enfermagem, nos campos de prática clínica. Para isso, optou-se por metodologia qualitativa fenomenológica e, para fundamentar a análise dos dados, foi adotado o referencial filosófico de Martin Heidegger. Cinco docentes de uma universidade do Chile participaram do estudo. A análise possibilitou descobrir os seguintes temas: ser docente no hospital, a convivência com enfermeiras clínicas e ser docente no ensino do cuidado. O estudo demonstrou que a integração docente/assistencial é elemento construtivo e facilitador do processo ensino/aprendizagem, buscando a formação de profissionais da enfermagem que incorporem, na sua atuação, as bases de cuidado autêntico