Dysregulations in circulating sphingolipids associate with disease activity indices in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the association of clinical and renal disease activity with circulating sphingolipids in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods We used liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to measure the levels of 27 sphingolipids in plasma from 107 female systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 23 controls selected using a design of experiment approach. We investigated the associations between sphingolipids and two disease activity indices, the Systemic Lupus Activity Measurement and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index. Damage was scored according to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics damage index. Renal activity was evaluated with the British Island Lupus Activity Group index. The effects of immunosuppressive treatment on sphingolipid levels were evaluated before and after treatment in 22 female systemic lupus erythematosus patients with active disease. Results Circulating sphingolipids from the ceramide and hexosylceramide families were increased, and sphingoid bases were decreased, in systemic lupus erythematosus patients compared to controls. The ratio of C16:0-ceramide to sphingosine-1-phosphate was the best discriminator between patients and controls, with an area under the receiver-operating curve of 0.77. The C16:0-ceramide to sphingosine-1-phosphate ratio was associated with ongoing disease activity according to the Systemic Lupus Activity Measurement and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, but not with accumulated damage according to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. Levels of C16:0- and C24:1-hexosylceramides were able to discriminate patients with current versus inactive/no renal involvement. All dysregulated sphingolipids were normalized after immunosuppressive treatment. Conclusion We provide evidence that sphingolipids are dysregulated in systemic lupus erythematosus and associated with disease activity. This study demonstrates the utility of simultaneously targeting multiple components of a pathway to establish disease associations.

Organic compounds in concrete from demolition works.

This study aims to verify the effect of physically removing the outer surface of contaminated concrete on total contents and on potential mobility of pollutants by means of leaching tests. Reclaimed concrete from 3 industrial sites in Sweden were included: A tar impregnated military storage, a military tar track-depot, as well as concrete constructions used for disposing of pesticide production surplus and residues. Solid materials and leachates from batch and column leaching tests were analysed for metals, Cl, F, SO4, DOC and contents of suspected organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAH, and pesticides/substances for pesticide production such as phenoxy acids, chlorophenols and chlorocresols, respectively). In case of PAH contaminated concrete, results indicate that removing 1 or 5 mm of the surface lead to total concentrations below the Swedish guidelines for recycling of aggregates and soil in groundwork constructions. 3 out of 4 concrete samples contaminated with pesticides fulfilled Swedish guidelines for contaminated soil. Results from batch and column leaching tests indicated, however, that concentrations above environmental quality standards for certain PAH and phenoxy acids, respectively, might occur at site when the crushed concrete is recycled in groundwork constructions. As leaching tests engaged in the study deviated from leaching test standards with a limited number of samples, the potential impact of the leaching tests' equipment on measured PAH and pesticide leachate concentrations has to be evaluated in future work.

Preliminary evaluation of dorsal muscle activity during resisted cervical extension in patients with longstanding pain and disability following anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To compare mechanical activity (deformation and deformation rate) of the dorsal neck muscles between individuals with longstanding symptoms after anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) surgery and healthy controls. DESIGN: Preliminary cross-sectional study. SETTING: Neurosurgery clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Ten individuals {mean age 60 [standard deviation (SD) 7.1]} who had undergone ACDF surgery 10 to 13 years previously and 10 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. MAIN OUTCOMES: Mechanical activity of the different layers of dorsal neck muscles, measured at the C4 segment using ultrasonography (speckle tracking analysis) during a standardised, resisted cervical extension task. RESULTS: A significant group×muscle interaction was found for muscle deformation (P<0.03) but not for deformation rate (P>0.79). The ACDF group showed significantly less deformation of the semispinalis capitis muscle during the extension task compared with the control group [mean 3.12 (SD 2.06) and 6.64 (SD 4.17), respectively; mean difference 3.34 (95% confidence interval -0.54 to 7.21)]. CONCLUSIONS: As the semispinalis capitis muscle is a powerful neck extensor, the finding of altered activation following ACDF surgery lends support to the inclusion of exercise to train neck muscle performance in the management of these patients.

Three-block bi-focal PLS (3BIF-PLS) and its application in QSAR.

When X and Y are multivariate, the two-block partial least squares (PLS) method is often used. In this paper, we outline an extension addressing a special case of the three-block (X/Y/Z) problem, where Z sits "under" Y. We have called this approach three-block bi-focal PLS (3BIF-PLS). It views the X/Y relationship as the dominant problem, and seeks to use the additional information in Z in order to improve the interpretation of the Y-part of the X/Y association. Two data sets are used to illustrate 3BIF-PLS. Example I relates to single point mutants of haloalkane dehalogenase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis UT26 and their ability to transform halogenated hydrocarbons, some of which are found as organic pollutants in soil. Example II deals with soil remediation capability of bacteria. Whole bacterial communities are monitored over time using "DNA-fingerprinting" technology to see how pollution affects population composition. Since the data sets are large, hierarchical multivariate modelling is invoked to compress data prior to 3BIF-PLS analysis. It is concluded that the 3BIF-PLS approach works well. The paper contains a discussion of pros and cons of the method, and hints at further developmental opportunities.