NOS3 rs1799983 and rs2070744 polymorphisms and their association with advanced chronic kidney disease and coronary heart disease in Canarian population with type 2 diabetes.

Context: Different polymorphisms of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS3) have been related to diabetic kidney disease. Objective: To evaluate the association between advanced diabetic chronic kidney disease (ACKD) and the rs1799983 and rs2070744 poymorphisms of NOS3 in a population from the Gran Canaria island. Design: Cross-sectional case-control study. Subjects and methods: Polymorphisms were genotyped in 152 subjects with ACKD secondary to type 2 diabetes [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m2], 110 subjects with type 2 diabetes for 20 or more years since diagnosis without ACKD (eGFR ≥45 mL/min/1.73m2 and albumin/creatinine ratio <300 mg/g and/or 24-h urinary albumin excretion <300 mg) and 292 healthy controls. Association between both polymorphisms and established coronary heart disease (CHD) was also analyzed in both groups with diabetes. Results: A greater proportion of homozygous individuals for the risk allele C of rs2070744 was found among subjects with ACKD. Association between ACKD and rs2070744 was observed in a recessive genetic model, both for comparison to subjects with diabetes but no ACKD [OR 2.17 (95% CI: 1.17-4.00), p=0.014] and for comparison to healthy controls [OR 1.61 (1.03-2.52), p=0.036]. The frequency of the C allele was significantly higher among subjects with CHD, but only in the group with ACKD. No associations were found for rs1799983. Conclusions: NOS3 rs2070744 is associated with ACKD in population with type 2 diabetes from Gran Canaria. A link between this genetic variant and CHD in Canarian subjects with type 2 diabetes could be restricted to cases with ACKD.

Finite Dimension: A Mathematical Tool to Analise Glycans.

There is a need to develop widely applicable tools to understand glycan organization, diversity and structure. We present a graph-theoretical study of a large sample of glycans in terms of finite dimension, a new metric which is an adaptation to finite sets of the classical Hausdorff "fractal" dimension. Every glycan in the sample is encoded, via finite dimension, as a point of Glycan Space, a new notion introduced in this paper. Two major outcomes were found: (a) the existence of universal bounds that restrict the universe of possible glycans and show, for instance, that the graphs of glycans are a very special type of chemical graph, and (b) how Glycan Space is related to biological domains associated to the analysed glycans. In addition, we discuss briefly how this encoding may help to improve search in glycan databases.

A diabetes intervention program of physical activity carried out at primary care settings in Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to document physical activity (PA) of migrant Mexican women with type 2 diabetes who have participated in diabetes intervention programs at a primary care level. METHODS: One hundred out of 133 women of seven diabetes education groups from different Mexican institutions located in the city of Tijuana were invited to participate in the study. A PA history questionnaire was completed weekly. Metabolic Equivalents (METs) were used to calculate physical activity level (PAL). RESULTS: Forty percent were classified as overweight and 31% as obese. Six percent of the women performed more than 150 min of moderate/vigorous weekly PA, while more than 80 min of weekly PA was reported by 73% of the population. There was no difference in frequency and intensity of PA between the participants from both institutions. The main indoor activities were cooking, dish washing, clothes washing and cleaning, and the main outdoor activities were walking, semi-active exercise and running. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of these migrant women who participated in the diabetes intervention program seem to engage in the minimum recommended levels of PA. In a country like Mexico, where its public health care system is facing huge economic constraints, PA counseling done in a primary health care practice may be a cost-effective approach.

[Does extracorporeal lithotripsy causes hearing loss?]. / Produce sordera la litotricia extracorpórea?

INTRODUCTION: The electrohydraulic lithotripter has revolutiomised the treatment of urolithiasis. It produces shock waves by electrical discharge in water associated at a noise. We know that the hearing damage is above 85 decibels. Our goal is determine if the Econolith 2000 lithotriptor produce hearing damage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 10 patients were treated. They had audiometry prior to a single exposure to lithotripsy and twenty four hours after treatment. All our patients wore protective ear. The intensity of the sound was measured. RESULTS: Inside of the operated room the intensity of the sound was 96 decibels, outside was 70. There weren't hearing damage in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The lithotriptor Econolith 2000 doesn't produce hearing damage in patients with protective ear.

¿Produce sordera la litotricia extracorpórea? / Does extracorporeal lithotripsy cause hearing loss?

INTRODUCCIÓN: El litotriptor electrohidráulico ha revolucionado el tratamiento de la litiasis urinaria, produce ondas de choque por descarga energética en el agua, estando asociadas éstas a un ruido. Sabemos que el daño acústico sensorioneural es ocasionado por encima de los 85 decibelios. Nuestro objetivo es determinar si el uso del litotriptor Econolith 2000 tiene algún efecto significativo en la audición de pacientes y operadores. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: 10 pacientes fueron intervenidos con Litotricia Extracorpórea en un solo procedimiento. Se les realizó audiometría previa y dentro de 24 h post-operatorias. Todos nuestros pacientes fueron protegidos con audífonos durante el transcurso del procedimiento. Se midió la intensidad de ruido en pabellón y sitios cercanos a éste. RESULTADOS: La intensidad de ruido medida dentro del pabellón fue de 96 decibelios y fuera de él 70. No hubo evidencia de daño acústico en los pacientes protegidos con audífonos. CONCLUSIONES: El litotriptor Econolith 2000 no produce daño auditivo en pacientes protegidos por audífonos. Se desconoce el efecto a largo plazo en los operadores, quienes no siempre se protegen, por lo que es recomendable en ellos, realizar audiometría cada 6 meses (AU)

[Prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer with 1 mg of intravesical BCG: comparison with other doses]. / Profilaxis del cáncer vesical superficial con 1 mg de BCG endovesical: comparacion con otras dosis.

Presentation of results obtained in 171 evaluable patients from a series of 181, presenting surface vesical cancer in Tis, Ta and T1 stages, treated with 3 different dosages of endovesical BCG as prophylaxis for tumour relapse: a) high dose, 100 to 120 mg, 72 patients; b) intermediate dose, 20 to 50 mg, 39 patients; and, c) minidose of 1 mg, 60 patients. Complications and adverse reactions were seen to be dose-dependent, also percentage of patients free of disease both after treatment and following addition of retreatment in several patients was similar in all the dosages used. It is thus concluded that endovesical BCG 1 mg, would be an optimal dosage for the prophylaxis of surface vesical cancer relapse.

Nutritional support in hospitalized patients with alcoholic liver disease.

The effects of a nutritional support in hospitalized patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and liver failure were studied in a controlled protocol. Thirty-six patients were included, 17 were randomly assigned to an experimental group and the rest to a control group. Experimentals received a diet aiming at 50 kcal (209 kJ)/kg bodyweight/d and 1.5 g protein/kg bodyweight/d (as proteins of high biological value). Controls received the standard diet prescribed by the attending physician. The severity of liver failure and the nutritional status on admission were similar in both groups. The measured energy intake in controls was 1813 +/- 121 kcal/d (7589 +/- 506 kJ/d) and 2707 +/- 71 kcal/d (1131 +/- 297 kJ/d) in experimentals (P less than 0.001). The protein intake in controls was 47 +/- 3.8 g/d and in experimentals 80 +/- 3 g/d (P less than 0.001). There were seven deaths during the study period (two experimentals and five controls). No differences were observed in the evolution of liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy or nutritional status between both study groups. It is concluded that a higher energy and protein intake in these patients does not have adverse effects and is associated with a non-significant reduction in mortality.