Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) and Thermoregulation in Animals: Structural Biology and Neurophysiological Aspects.

This review presents and analyzes recent scientific findings on the structure, physiology, and neurotransmission mechanisms of transient receptor potential (TRP) and their function in the thermoregulation of mammals. The aim is to better understand the functionality of these receptors and their role in maintaining the temperature of animals, or those susceptible to thermal stress. The majority of peripheral receptors are TRP cation channels formed from transmembrane proteins that function as transductors through changes in the membrane potential. TRP are classified into seven families and two groups. The data gathered for this review include controversial aspects because we do not fully know the mechanisms that operate the opening and closing of the TRP gates. Deductions, however, suggest the intervention of mechanisms related to G protein-coupled receptors, dephosphorylation, and ligands. Several questions emerge from the review as well. For example, the future uses of these data for controlling thermoregulatory disorders and the invitation to researchers to conduct more extensive studies to broaden our understanding of these mechanisms and achieve substantial advances in controlling fever, hyperthermia, and hypothermia.

An approach estimating the short-term effect of NO2 on daily mortality in Spanish cities.

BACKGROUND: Road traffic is the most significant source of urban air pollution. PM2.5 is the air pollutant whose health effects have been most closely studied, and is the variable most commonly used as a proxy indicator of exposure to air pollution, whereas evidence on NO2 concentrations per se is still under study. In the case of Spain, there are no specific updated studies which calculate short-term NO2-related mortality. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the relative risks (RRs) and attributable risks (ARs) of daily mortality associated with NO2 concentrations recorded in Spain across the study period, 2000-2009; and to calculate the number of NO2-related deaths. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We calculated daily mortality due to natural causes (ICD-10: A00 R99), circulatory causes (ICD-10: I00 I99) and respiratory causes (ICD-10: J00 J99) for each province across the period 2000-2009, using data supplied by the National Statistics Institute. Mean daily NO2 concentrations in µg/m3 for each provincial capital were furnished by the Ministry of Agriculture & Environment, along with the equivalent figures for the control pollutants (PM10). To estimate RRs and ARs, we used generalised linear models with a Poisson link, controlling for maximum and minimum daily temperature, trend of the series, seasonalities, and the autoregressive nature of the series. A meta-analysis with random effects was used to estimate RRs and ARs nationwide. RESULTS: The overall RRs obtained for Spain, corresponding to increases of 10 µg/m3 in NO2 concentrations were 1.012 (95% CI: 1.010 1.014) for natural-cause mortality, 1.028 (95% CI: 1.019 1.037) for respiratory-cause mortality, and 1.016 (95% CI: 1.012 1.021) for circulatory-cause mortality. This amounted to an annual overall 6085 deaths (95% CI: 3288 9427) due to natural causes, 1031 (95% CI: 466 1585) due to respiratory causes, and 1978 (95% CI: 828 3197) due to circulatory causes. CONCLUSION: By virtue of the number of cities involved and the nature of the analysis performed, with quantification of the RRs and ARs of the short-term impact of NO2 on daily mortality in Spain, this study provides an updated estimate of the effect had by this type of pollutant on causes of mortality, and constitutes an important basis for reinforcing public health measures at a national level.

Improvement in the stability of serum samples stored in an automated refrigerated module.

OBJECTIVES: In clinical laboratories it is necessary to know for how long the analytes are stable in the samples with specific storage conditions. Our laboratory has implemented the new Aptio Automation System (AAS) (Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics) where the analyzed samples are stored in a refrigerated storage module (RSM) after being sealed. The aim of the study was to evaluate the stability of serum samples with the AAS and comparing the results with a previous study using a conventional refrigerated system. DESIGN AND METHODS: Serum samples from a total of 50 patients were collected and for each of them 27 biochemical analytes were analyzed. The samples were divided in 5 sets of 10 samples. Each set was re-analyzed at one of the following times: 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120h. Stability was evaluated according to the Total Limit of Change (TLC) criteria, which combine both analytical and biologic variation. RESULTS: A total of 26 out of 27 analytes were stable at the end of the study according to TLC criteria. Lactate dehydrogenase was not stable at 48h observing a decrease in its concentration until the end of the study. In the previous study (conventional storage system) 9 biochemical analytes were not stable with an increase of their levels due to the evaporation process. CONCLUSIONS: The RSM connected to the AAS improves the stability of serum samples. This system avoids the evaporation process due to the sealing of samples and allows better control of the samples during their storage.