Malária no município de Humaitá, estado do Amazonas: XVII resposta imune em doentes com infecção pelo Plasmodium falciparum em relação aos gametócitos

In August 1983 the Authors studied 36 patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and 14 normal individuals born in Humaita region who had never had malaria, had no spleen enlargement and had negative parasitemia as well as passive hemagglutination. Medical histories were obtained and complete physical examination were performed in all of them just as blood tests, parasite density and lymphocyte typing. The lymphocytes were separated and then frozen in liquid nitrogen for later typing by rosette formation. The patients were divided in two groups according to the presence (13 patients) or abscence (23 patients) of gametocytes before treatment. Severe malaria was predominant in the group without gametocytes. The results showed a decrease in the T-cell numbers in Plasmodium falciparum acute malaria patients both with or without gametocytes before the treatment, while B-cell numbers were normal only in the patients with gametocytes. These observations as like as those previously reported by the Authors, permit to associate the presence of gametocytes in peripheral blood and normal number of B-cells in patients with mild Plasmodium falciparum malaria.Em agosto de 1983, os Autores, estudaram 36 doentes com infecção causada pelo Plasmodium falciparum e 14 indivíduos normais, nascidos na região de Humaitá, que nunca tiveram malária, sem esplenomegalia, com exame parasitológico de sangue e hemaglutinação passiva negativas. Todos eles foram submetidos à observação clínica completa, exame hematológico, exame parasitológico de sangue e tipagem de linfócitos. Os linfócitos foram isolados e congelados em nitrogênio líquido, para posterior tipagem pela formação de rosetas. Os doentes foram classificados em dois grupos de acordo com a presença (13 doentes), ou ausência (23 doentes) de gametócitos antes do tratamento. Houve predomínio de formas graves no grupo de doentes sem gametócitos. Os resultados mostraram diminuição do número de linfócitos T em ambos os grupos de doentes, com ou sem gametócitos antes do tratamento, enquanto que o número de linfócitos B foi normal apenas no grupo de doentes com gametócitos. Essas observações, assim como as que foram relatadas pelos Autores anteriormente, permitem associar a presença de gametócitos circulantes com o número normal de células B em doentes com formas leves de malária causada pelo Plasmodium falciparum

Knowledge integration in One Health policy formulation, implementation and evaluation

The One Health concept covers the interrelationship between human, animal and environmental health and requires multistakeholder collaboration across many cultural, disciplinary, institutional and sectoral boundaries. Yet, the implementation of the One Health approach appears hampered by shortcomings in the global framework for health governance. Knowledge integration approaches, at all stages of policy development, could help to address these shortcomings. The identification of key objectives, the resolving of trade-offs and the creation of a common vision and a common direction can be supported by multicriteria analyses. Evidence-based decision-making and transformation of observations into narratives detailing how situations emerge and might unfold in the future can be achieved by systems thinking. Finally, transdisciplinary approaches can be used both to improve the effectiveness of existing systems and to develop novel networks for collective action. To strengthen One Health governance, we propose that knowledge integration becomes a key feature of all stages in the development of related policies. We suggest several ways in which such integration could be promoted

3q26.2/MECOM Rearrangements by Pericentric Inv(3): Diagnostic Challenges and Clinicopathologic Features

MECOM rearrangement (MECOM-R) resulting from 3q26.2 aberrations is often associated with myeloid neoplasms and inferior prognosis in affected patients. Uncommonly, certain 3q26.2/MECOM-R can be subtle/cryptic and consequently overlooked by karyotyping. We identified 17 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (male/female: 13/4 with a median age of 67 years, range 42 to 85 years) with a pericentric inv(3) leading to MECOM-R, with breakpoints at 3p23 (n = 11), 3p25 (n = 3), 3p21 (n = 2) and 3p13 (n = 1) on 3p and 3q26.2 on 3q. These pericentric inv(3)s were overlooked by karyotyping initially in 16 of 17 cases and later detected by metaphase FISH analysis. Similar to the patients with classic/paracentric inv(3)(q21q26.2), patients with pericentric inv(3) exhibited frequent cytopenia, morphological dysplasia (especially megakaryocytes), −7/del(7q), frequent NRAS (n = 6), RUNX1 (n = 5) and FLT-3 (n = 4) mutations and dismal outcomes (median overall survival: 14 months). However, patients with pericentric inv(3) more frequently had AML with thrombocytopenia (n = 15, 88%), relative monocytosis in peripheral blood (n = 15, 88%), decreased megakaryocytes (n = 11, 65%), and lower SF3B1 mutation. We conclude that AML with pericentric inv(3) shares some similarities with AML associated with classic/paracentric inv(3)/GATA2::MECOM but also shows certain unique features. Pericentric inv(3)s are often subtle/cryptic by chromosomal analysis. A reflex FISH analysis for MECOM-R is recommended in myeloid neoplasms showing −7/del(7q)

The Effects of FANA Modifications on Non-canonical Nucleic Acid Structures

37 pags., 24 figs., 6 tabs. -- Commemorates the 70th anniversary of the DNA double helix discoveryInitially explored for its antiviral applications, the 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroarabino nucleoside is now widely incorporated into oligonucleotides for applications in structure elucidation, synthetic genetics, and therapeutics, among others. This chapter explores the use of 2′-fluoroarabino nucleic acids (FANA) in the context of noncanonical nucleic acid structures, namely triple helices, G-quadruplexes, and i-motifs. For the last three decades, FANA has been utilized to understand biophysical properties associated with these structures and to stabilize certain conformers or even manipulate their topology. Owing to its DNA-like character and the flexibility of its sugar pucker, FANA has also been explored in biochemical contexts, including its interactions with thrombin and human telomerase. Despite years of research, novel properties of FANA are still being uncovered today; indeed, FANA promises to consistently serve as an exemplary tool for chemists and molecular biologists investigating nucleic acid phenomena.The authors would like to acknowledge the following funding agencies: the European Union Marie Sklodowska Curie Action (799693, to M.G.), the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Discovery Grant to M.J.D.), and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies Doctoral Scholarship (DE, to R.E.K)

Stabilizing i-motif DNA through chemical modification and end-ligation - towards biochemical applications.

2020 Annual Meeting - Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society, September 27- September 30, 2020. -- Virtual Meetin

Recent progress in non-native nucleic acid modifications

International audienceWhile Nature harnesses RNA and DNA to store, read and write genetic information, the inherent programmability, synthetic accessibility and wide functionality of these nucleic acids make them attractive tools for use in a vast array of applications. In medicine, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), siRNAs, and therapeutic aptamers are explored as potent targeted treatment and diagnostic modalities, while in the technological field oligonucleotides have found use in new materials, catalysis, and data storage. The use of natural oligonucleotides limits the possible chemical functionality of resulting technologies while inherent shortcomings, such as susceptibility to nuclease degradation, provide obstacles to their application. Modified oligonucleotides, at the level of the nucleobase, sugar and/or phosphate backbone, are widely used to overcome these limitations. This review provides the reader with an overview of nonnative modifications and the challenges faced in the design, synthesis, application and outlook of novel modified oligonucleotides

Applications of 19F NMR Techniques with Artificial Nucleic Acid.

1st GERMMN Junior NMR Meeting, October, 7-8 (2021). Organizado por GERMN-RSEQ (Grupo Especializado de Resonancia Magnética Nuclear - Real Sociedad Española de Química. la Real Sociedad de Química: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Avda. Complutense s/n. 28040 Madrid

Aortic valve repair for papillary fibroelastoma.

We report the case of aortic valve-papillary fibroelastoma in a 66-year-old Belgian woman with a previous single episode of cerebral transient ischemic attack. Transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiography revealed a small mass adherent to the noncoronary cusp of the valve, which was confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography. Indication for surgery was performed because of a previous cerebral transient ischemic attack and for its potential risk of cerebral and coronary embolization. Surgical excision of the mass was performed with the need for glutaraldehyde-treated autologous pericardial patch repair of the aortic cusp. Intraoperative and postoperative transesophageal echocardiography both showed the valve to be competent. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. After a review of the literature, we conclude that, even if asymptomatic, and independent of their size, aortic valve papillary fibroelastomas justify surgical excision for their potential to systemic embolization. Moreover, we believe that a valve-sparing approach might be feasible with no recurrence after complete excision

Topological transformation of a trefoil knot into a [2]catenane

Topological transformation of a zinc-templated trefoil knot, Zn-TK, into a zinc-templated [2]catenane, Zn-[2]C, was studied. The net reaction 2 Zn-TK → 3 Zn-[2]C was accomplished in 89% yield by heating a solution of Zn-TK in D2O. Kinetic investigation by 1H NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry revealed that the mechanism is complex, involving a large pool of intermediates that form after imine bond cleavage. Bromide ions, which can occupy the central cavity of Zn-TK, inhibited the reaction. Two similar transformations were also studied, one of a cadmium-containing trefoil knot, Cd-TK, into a cadmium-containing catenane, Cd-[2]C, and the other of Cd-TK into Zn-[2]C. The latter transformation could be achieved in one step at high temperature or in two steps via transmetallation to form Zn-TK at room temperature followed by topological conversion of Zn-TK to Zn-[2]C at high temperature