Association between H. pylori infection, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia has been described, but the mechanisms involved have not been established. We hypothesized that in H. pylori ...infected children increased gastric concentrations of IL-1β and/or TNF-α, both potent inhibitors of gastric acid secretion that is essential for iron absorption, are predictors for low blood concentrations of ferritin and haemoglobin, markers of early depletion of iron stores and anaemia, respectively. We evaluated 125 children undergoing endoscopy to clarify the origin of gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastric specimens were obtained for H. pylori status and cytokine evaluation and blood samples for determination of iron deficiency/iron deficiency anaemia parameters and IL1 cluster and TNFA polymorphisms that are associated with increased cytokine secretions. Higher IL-1β and TNF-α gastric concentrations were observed in H. pylori-positive (n = 47) than in -negative (n = 78) children. Multiple linear regression models revealed gastric IL-1β, but not TNF-α, as a significant predictor of low ferritin and haemoglobin concentrations; results were reproduced in young children in whom IL1RN polymorphic genotypes associated with higher gastric IL-1β expression and lower blood ferritin and haemoglobin concentrations. In conclusion, high gastric levels of IL-1β can be the link between H. pylori infection and iron deficiency/iron deficiency anaemia in childhood.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Th17 cells seem to have an important role in the efficacy of vaccines against Helicobacter pylori. Because children are a target group for human vaccination and Th17/Treg cells have intrinsically ...linked and antagonic commitments, we compared the gastric levels of Th17- and Treg-associated cytokines of children and adults. IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β1 levels and Foxp3+ cell numbers were higher, but IL-1β, IL-17A and IL-23 were lower in infected children than in infected adults. In conclusion Treg instead of Th17 cell response to H. pylori-infection predominates in children.
To evaluate the prevalence of more virulent H. pylori genotypes in relatives of gastric cancer patients and in patients without family histories of gastric cancer.
We evaluated prospectively the ...prevalence of the infection by more virulent H. pylori strains in 60 relatives of gastric cancer patients comparing the results with those obtained from 49 patients without family histories of gastric cancer. H. pylori status was determined by the urease test, histology and presence of H. pylori ureA. The cytotoxin associated gene (cagA), the cagA-EPIYA and vacuolating cytotoxin gene (vacA) were typed by PCR and the cagA EPIYA typing was confirmed by sequencing.
The gastric cancer relatives were significant and independently more frequently colonized by H. pylori strains with higher numbers of CagA-EPIYA-C segments (OR = 4.23, 95%CI = 1.53-11.69) and with the most virulent s1m1 vacA genotype (OR = 2.80, 95%CI = 1.04-7.51). Higher numbers of EPIYA-C segments were associated with increased gastric corpus inflammation, foveolar hyperplasia and atrophy. Infection by s1m1 vacA genotype was associated with increased antral and corpus gastritis.
We demonstrated that relatives of gastric cancer patients are more frequently colonized by the most virulent H. pylori cagA and vacA genotypes, which may contribute to increase the risk of gastric cancer.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background and Aims: To further evaluate intrafamilial transmission of H. pylori infection during childhood, we investigated the prevalence of H. pylori in family members from a poor H. pylori ...high‐prevalence urban community in the Northeast of Brazil.
Methods: H. pylori infection was investigated in 570 members of 128 households, by 13C‐urea breath test in children and by ELISA in mothers and other adult relatives.
Results: The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection (376/570) increased with age (p < .001) and ranged from 28.9%, in children aged 6 months to 5 years, to 82% in adults over 40 years. An H. pylori positive mother and the number of infected siblings are independent risk factors for childhood H. pylori infection (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.0–4.6 and OR = 4.3, 95% CI = 2.3–8.1, respectively) The number of siblings, number of younger siblings, and number of infected younger siblings were also associated with the infection in the univariate analysis. The number of infected younger siblings remained independently associated with the infection (p = .000), even after controlling for all the above cited variables, in addition to the H. pylori status of siblings and mothers, age, number of people per room, and number of children in the household.
Conclusion: The transmission of H. pylori occurs from infected mothers to their offspring and among siblings, notably from younger siblings to the older ones.
We evaluated whether polymorphisms in genes coding molecules linked to the innate and adaptive immune response are associated with susceptibility to
Helicobacter pylori infection.
IL1B-511C
→
T,
...IL1B-31
T
→
C,
IL1RN allele 2,
IL2-330
T
→
G,
TNFA-307
G
→
A,
TLR2Arg677Trp,
TLR2Arg753Gln,
TLR4Asp299Gly, and
TLR5
392STOP polymorphisms were determined in 541 blood donors.
IL2-330
T
→
G allele carriers had a decreased
H. pylori infection risk (OR
=
0.63, 95% CI
=
0.43–0.93) after adjustment for demographic and environmental factors. Hence, we investigated whether the polymorphism is functional by evaluating IL-2 serum concentration in 150 blood donors and 100 children. IL-2 pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties were indirectly investigated by determining serum IFN-γ and IL-10/TGF-β levels. The polymorphism was associated with increased mean IL-2 levels in
H. pylori-positive adults (2.65
pg/mL vs. 7.78
pg/mL) and children (4.19
pg/mL vs. 8.03
pg/mL). Increased IL-2 was associated with pro-inflammatory activity in adults (IFN-γ
=
18.61
pg/mL vs. 25.71
pg/mL), and with anti-inflammatory activity in children (IL-10
=
6.99 vs. 14.17
pg/mL, TGF-β
=
45.88 vs. 93.44
pg/mL) (
p
<
10
−3 for all). In conclusion, in the context of
H. pylori infection,
IL2-330
T
→
G polymorphism is functional and is associated with decreased risk of infection in adults.
Background: The detection of the putative disease‐specific Helicobacter pylori marker duodenal ulcer promoting gene A (dupA) is currently based on PCR detection of jhp0917 and jhp0918 that form the ...gene. However, mutations that lead to premature stop codons that split off the dupA leading to truncated products cannot be evaluated by PCR.
Methods: We directly sequence the complete dupA of 75 dupA‐positive strains of H. pylori isolated from patients with gastritis (n = 26), duodenal ulcer (n = 29), and gastric carcinoma (n = 20), to search for frame‐shifting mutations that lead to stop codon.
Results: Thirty‐four strains had single nucleotide mutations in dupA that lead to premature stop codon creating smaller products than the predicted 1839 bp product and, for this reason, were considered as dupA‐negative. Intact dupA was more frequently observed in strains isolated from duodenal ulcer patients (65.5%) than in patients with gastritis only (46.2%) or with gastric carcinoma (50%). In logistic analysis, the presence of the intact dupA independently associated with duodenal ulcer (OR = 5.06; 95% CI = 1.22–20.96, p = .02).
Conclusion: We propose the primer walking methodology as a simple technique to sequence the gene. When we considered as dupA‐positive only those strains that carry dupA gene without premature stop codons, the gene was associated with duodenal ulcer and, therefore, can be used as a marker for this disease in our population.
Setting
Thermal institutions are healthcare units where clinical activities such as consultations and treatments are carried out. Natural mineral water is an endogenous resource, which can only be ...enjoyed when recognized by the scientific community as a 'medicine', with proven results in the prevention and treatment of several pathologies. Thermal institutions combine several methods and treatment techniques, such as crenotherapy, the exterior shower, the internal shower, and immersion in hot tubs and thermal pools.
Objective and design
The present work focuses on the characterization of the Portuguese sector through its offers. Special attention was given to a set of variables, namely the type and number of health professionals involved in the thermal universe, the average costs of different available treatments, as well as the average comparative costs among the different management models carried out at Portuguese thermal institutions.
Project and participants
A questionnaire was designed and used as a tool to gather information on the above parameters in a representative sample corresponding to 20 national thermal institutions.
Main outcome measure(s)
This study showed that both the 'classical' and 'wellness hydrotherapies' are performed in the majority of thermalism institutions, which operate all year round (thus contradicting the traditional seasonality of the sector).
Results
There are a higher number of 'physicians' than 'other health professionals' at 'private' management thermal institutions, while the opposite trend is observed whenever the management is 'public'.
Conclusion
The current study shows that most national thermal institutions dedicated to a specific forum do not have in their clinical board physicians in that specialty. Concerning other health professionals who currently are practicing their functions at national thermal institutions, this study indicates predominantly four professional categories: physiotherapists, nurses, balneotherapy technicians, and physiotherapy assistants. The cheapest thermal treatments include aerosols, nasal irrigation, and 'vaporization', and the most expensive ones include aquatic therapy, lymphatic drainage, general manual massage, respiratory exercise, and the Vichy shower.
Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with peptic ulcer and gastric carcinoma. The oral cavity may be a reservoir for H. pylori; however, the results of studies on this subject are ...controversial. We employed single-step and nested polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to detect the presence of the vacA, ureA and 16S rDNA genes of H. pylori in the stomach, saliva and dental plaque of 30 subjects. The results were confirmed by sequencing. Nested 16S rDNA and ureA amplification was achieved in 80% of gastric, 30% of saliva and 20% of dental plaque specimens. Sequencing of 10, seven and four 16S rDNA products from stomach, saliva and dental plaque, respectively, showed > 99% identity with H. pylori. Sequencing of the other four oral cavity PCR products showed similarity with Campylobacter and Wolinella species. Additionally, the vacA genotype identified in the samples of different sites was the same within a given subject.H. pylori may be found in the oral cavity of patients with gastric infection, thus it could be a source of transmission. However, results obtained with detection methods based only on PCR should be interpreted with caution because other microorganisms that are phylogenetically very close to H. pylori are also present in the mouth.
Este estudo analisou a estrutura da Escala de Ageismo no Contexto Organizacional (EACO). Participaram 383 trabalhadores do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, de 18 a 75 anos (M=40; DP=12,79), de ambos os ...sexos e diferentes níveis de escolaridade, sendo utilizada a análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC). Os resultados das AFCs foram satisfatórios e o modelo de dois fatores independentes apresentou indicadores de ajuste aceitáveis (χ2=208,08; Tucker-Lewis Index – TLI=0,93; Comparative Fit Index – CFI=0,94; Root-Mean-Square Error of Approximation – RMSEA=0,06), sustentando quase totalmente a estrutura da análise exploratória da escala original, sendo retirado apenas um item. Assim, a EACO constou de 13 itens, subdivididos em: Dimensão 1 – atitudes positivas; e Dimensão 2 – atitudes negativas, na qual os trabalhadores jovens apresentaram atitudes mais negativas quanto ao envelhecimento nas organizações, confirmando estudo prévio. Recomenda-se a reaplicação dessa escala em outros contextos para investigar causas e consequências do ageismo organizacional.
Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia (cITP) is an acquired immune-mediated disease associated with a T-helper cell type 1 (Th1) immune polarization, whose genetic risk factors, however, are largely ...unknown. We investigated polymorphisms in promoter regions of genes that code molecules involved in proinflammatory immune response IL1B-31T/C, IL1RN variable number tandem repeats (VNTR), IL2-330T/G, and TNF-307G/A as well as in genes that code Toll like receptors (TLR) (TLR2 Arg753Gln, TLR4 Asp299Gly and TLR5 Arg(392stop)) in 122 patients with cITP and 541 blood donors. The frequencies of the IL1RN polymorphic allele 2 (P = 0·001) and of the IL2-330 polymorphic allele G (P =0·004) were significantly higher in cITP patients than in blood donors. In logistic analysis adjusting for age and gender, the polymorphisms remained independently associated with cITP. Enhanced serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1α and IL-1β were observed in cITP (P < 10(-3) ) and blood donor (P = 0·04) carriers of the IL1RN*2. Also, the serum levels of IL-2 and γ-interferon (IFN-γ) were increased in cITP patients (P < 10(-3) and P = 0·04 respectively) and blood donors (P < 10(-3) and P = 0·03 respectively) harbouring the IL2-330G allele. Here we demonstrated that IL2-330G and IL1RN*2 are independently associated with cITP and are functional in vivo, which strongly suggests that they contribute to the pathogenesis of cITP.
PDF
