ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a large and ubiquitous group of peptides. The current crisis in antibiotic therapy has led to an intensified search for new antimicrobial agents. In this regard, scorpion venom constitutes a rich source of biologically active peptides including AMPs. In the present study, the purification of a novel peptide with antimicrobial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae is described. This antimicrobial peptide, named Cm38, was purified from Centruroides margaritatus scorpion venom using a two-step chromatographic strategy using C-8 and C-18 columns. This toxin inhibits the proliferation of the Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae with a Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 64 mu M. An analysis of the N-terminal sequence of Cm38 revealed a close structural relationship to Cn11, a Na+-channel modulator toxin previously isolated from Centruroides noxius scorpion venom. Therefore, to test Cm38 for effects on ion channels, we measured its effects on action potential firing in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons. Cm38 depolarized and increased action potential firing in a subset of neurons tested. The present work reports a new peptide related to Cn11 with antimicrobial properties that is also active in neurons.
Subject(s)
Biochemistry , Genetics , MicrobiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: We evaluated whether traditional or non-traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-related risk factors were associated with pathological arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) adjusted for patients' age and blood pressure. METHOD: CV risk factors were measured in the 46 SLE female patients studied. Activity and organ damage were assessed by the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index, respectively. Other lupus-related parameters and information concerning treatment were recorded. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by PWV calculated from pulse wave recording by Doppler, a non-invasive method to measure arterial stiffness. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent determinants of increased PWV. RESULTS: PWV was categorized as normal or pathological arterial stiffness following the reference values adjusted by age and blood pressure recently published by the European Society of Cardiology. Pathological PWV was associated with CV risk factors including homocysteine (p = 0.01), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP; p = 0.03), uric acid (p = 0.01), and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.007). With regard to SLE-specific risk factors, a significant association was found between PWV and SLICC/ACR score (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that increased PWV was independently associated with metabolic syndrome [odds ratio (OR) 6.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-38, p = 0.03] and SLICC/ACR score (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1-2.32, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We have found a close link between metabolic syndrome and SLICC/ACR score with increased aortic stiffness. These variables might be an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE women without clinical evidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Subject(s)
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/physiopathology , Metabolic Syndrome/physiopathology , Vascular Stiffness/physiology , Adult , Atherosclerosis/complications , Atherosclerosis/metabolism , Atherosclerosis/physiopathology , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/metabolism , Metabolic Syndrome/complications , Metabolic Syndrome/metabolism , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
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Subject(s)
Humans , Voice Disorders/etiology , Neuromuscular Diseases/diagnosis , ElectromyographyABSTRACT
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Subject(s)
Female , Middle Aged , Humans , Back Pain/etiology , Spinal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Back Pain/pathology , Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology , Lumbar Vertebrae , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Time Factors , Spinal Neoplasms/pathology , Spinal Neoplasms , Spinal NeoplasmsABSTRACT
Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of concurrent cisplatin (CDDP) plus standard radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer. Methods: Between 2000 and 2003, 68 patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced carcinoma of the cervix received radiotherapy (external-beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy) plus weekly cisplatin chemotherapy (40 mg/m2). Results: All patients were available for analysis. The mean follow-up period was 40 months. Fifty-six patients had squamous cancer and 12 had adenocarcinoma. Tumoral stages were: bulky stage IB in 16 patients, stage IIB in 12, stage IIIA in 20 and stage IIIB in 20. The most frequent type of toxicity was gastrointestinal in 24 patients. Of 52 patients who underwent total hysterectomy with bilateral annexectomy, no tumor was found in the surgical specimen in 57%. The 3-year survival rate (Kaplan-Meier) was 75%. Conclusion: This study shows that local control and survival with concurrent radical RT plus weekly CDDP chemotherapy at a weekly dose 40 mg/m2 has beneficial effects in the treatment of these tumors (AU)
Introducción: Este estudio evalúa el tratamiento del carcinoma localmente avanzado de cérvix con radioterapia radical y cisplatino semanal, 40 mg/m2, administrados conjuntamente. Métodos: Entre 2000 y 2003, 68 pacientes con carcinoma localmente avanzado de cérvix histológicamente confirmado recibieron radioterapia externa y braquiterapia con cisplatino semanal a una dosis de 40 mg/m2. Resultados: Todas las pacientes fueron válidas para el tratamiento. La media de seguimiento fue de 40 meses. Un total de 56 pacientes presentaban carcinomas epidermoides, y 12, adenocarcinomas. Los estadios tumorales fueron: 16 pacientes en estadio IB bulky, 12 en estadio IIB, 20 en estadio IIIA y 20 en estadio IIIB. La toxicidad más frecuente fue la gastrointestinal (24 pacientes). Un total de 52 pacientes fueron intervenidas con histerectomía total y doble anexectomía, y en el 57% de los casos no se encontró tumor en la pieza quirúrgica. La supervivencia (Kaplan-Meier) fue del 75% a los 3 años. Conclusión: Este estudio demuestra que el control local y la supervivencia con radioterapia radical conjuntamente con cisplatino a una dosis semanal de 40 mg/m2 es un importante factor con un balance positivo en estos tipos de tumores (AU)
Subject(s)
Female , Adult , Aged , Middle Aged , Humans , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma/radiotherapy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Follow-Up Studies , Treatment Outcome , Combined Modality Therapy , Disease-Free Survival , Severity of Illness Index , Neoplasm StagingABSTRACT
La degeneración neoplásica borderline de tumores paraováricos es muy poco frecuente. Presentamos el caso de una paciente posmenopáusica, con una formación anexial izquierda sospechosa de malignidad ecográficamente que fue sometida a cirugía oncológica. La anatomopatología definitiva mostró un tumor seroso borderline del paraovario izquierdo, sin afección peritoneal ni epiploica. Revisamos la bibliografía existente acerca de este tipo de lesiones paraováricas y su degeneración neoplásica (AU)