Pharmacogenetics of antimalarial drugs: effect on metabolism and transport.

The prevention and management of malaria is primarily based on the use of drugs. Clinical trials have however revealed that between individuals there is large variability in the pharmacokinetic profiles of many antimalarial drugs. The resulting variations in concentrations of the drug within plasma might lead to either suboptimum effectiveness or drug toxicity in some patients.

Analysis of 185 maxillofacial fractures in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

A retrospective study was performed to assess maxillofacial fractures in patients treated at a public hospital from 2002 to 2006. The data collected included age, gender, etiology, type of injury, treatment modalities and period of treatment. Causes were grouped into seven categories: road traffic collisions, sports accidents, occupational accidents, gunshot fractures, falls, violence and other causes.

Early bone healing around implant surfaces treated with variations in the resorbable blasting media method. A study in rabbits.

Objective: this study aimed to histomorphologically and histomorphometrically evaluate the in vivo response to three variations in the resorbable blasting media (RBM) surface processing in a rabbit femur model.

Study Design: screw root form implants with 3.75 mm in diameter by 8 mm in length presenting four surfaces (n=8 each): alumina-blasted/acid-etched (AB/AE), bioresorbable ceramic blasted (TCP), TCP + acid etching, and AB/AE + TCP were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Diarrhea and parasitosis in Salta, Argentina.

Background: Salta city is the capital of the province with the same name located in the northwest of Argentina. Its great growth over the last decade was not organized and the population expanded to occupy places where water and sanitation were not yet available. Although the Arenales River, crossing the city, receives the impact of point and non-point source pollution, the water is used for many purposes, including domestic in the poorest areas, industrial, and recreational with children as the main users.

Gastrojejunal anastomotic stenosis in laparoscopic gastric bypass with a circular stapler (21 mm): incidence, treatment and long-term follow-up.

Background: One of the keys to the long-term success of laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) is performing a small-diameter gastrojejunal anastomosis, which occasionally involves an increased incidence of stenosis.

Methods: Between May 2000 and October 2008, 676 patients underwent LGBP with a no. 21 circular stapler to create the gastrojejunoanastomosis (GJA).

Analysis of 40 cases of intraoral verticosagittal ramus osteotomies to treat dentofacial deformities.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to report the experience of 40 patients who had undergone intraoral verticosagittal ramus osteotomy (IVSRO) to treat dentofacial deformities.

Patients And Methods: The charts of 40 consecutive patients who had undergone IVSRO were analyzed regarding the diagnosis, amount of mandibular movement, and complications.

Results: Eighty IVSROs were performed in 40 patients.

Increasing the levels of 2-phenylethyl acetate in wine through the use of a mixed culture of Hanseniaspora osmophila and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The impact of mixed cultures of Hanseniaspora osmophila and Saccharomyces cerevisiae with different initial yeast ratios on wine composition has been examined. The mixed culture significantly affected sugar consumption, the main enological parameters and ester concentrations, with the exception of glycerol, isoamyl acetate and diethyl succinate levels. Remarkably, in wines obtained with mixed cultures the concentration of 2-phenylethyl acetate was approximately 3- to 9-fold greater than that produced by S.

Thin bioactive ceramic-coated alumina-blasted/acid-etched implant surface enhances biomechanical fixation of implants: an experimental study in dogs.

Background: Thin bioceramic coatings have been regarded as potential substitutes for plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings.

Purpose: This study tested the hypothesis that a thin bioactive ceramic coating deposition on an alumina-blasted/acid-etched (AB/AE) surface would positively affect the biomechanical fixation and bone-to-implant contact (BIC) of plateau root form implants.

Materials And Methods: Implants of two different lengths (i.

Domains involved in the in vivo function and oligomerization of apical growth determinant DivIVA in Streptomyces coelicolor.

The coiled-coil protein DivIVA is a determinant of apical growth and hyphal branching in Streptomyces coelicolor. We have investigated the properties of this protein and the involvement of different domains in its essential function and subcellular targeting. In S.

DivIVA uses an N-terminal conserved region and two coiled-coil domains to localize and sustain the polar growth in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Corynebacterium glutamicum is a rod-shaped actinomycete with a distinct model of peptidoglycan synthesis during cell elongation, which takes place at the cell poles and is sustained by the essential protein DivIVA(CG) (C. glutamicum DivIVA). This protein contains a short conserved N-terminal domain and two coiled-coil regions: CC1 and CC2.

Reliability of preoperative duplex scanning in designing a therapeutic strategy for chronic lower limb ischemia.

The objective of this study was to compare the treatment plan designed on the basis of preoperative duplex scanning evaluation of the critical limb ischemia with the treatment plan finally carried out, after assessing the findings obtained during surgical or endovascular treatment. Over a period of 51 months a preoperative duplex scanning study was carried out in 335 consecutive patients with chronic critical ischemia, to design the best therapeutic strategy. Agreement between both plans were as follows: 80%, 82,7% and 59% in the examinations of the iliac arteries, femoropopliteal or tibial arteries respectively.

Properties of arsenite efflux permeases (Acr3) from Alkaliphilus metalliredigens and Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Members of the Acr3 family of arsenite permeases confer resistance to trivalent arsenic by extrusion from cells, with members in every phylogenetic domain. In this study bacterial Acr3 homologues from Alkaliphilus metalliredigens and Corynebacterium glutamicum were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Modification of a single cysteine residue that is conserved in all analyzed Acr3 homologues resulted in loss of transport activity, indicating that it plays a role in Acr3 function.

Surgically assisted palatine expansion in adult patients: evaluation of a conservative technique.

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess a conservative technique for surgically assisted palatine expansion (SAPE) done under local anesthesia and conscious sedation in adults. Dental inclination, uniformity of expansion, and satisfaction of orthodontist were evaluated.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-seven consecutive patients, ranging in age from 25 to 42 years, underwent SAPE under local anesthesia.

Early bone healing around different implant bulk designs and surgical techniques: A study in dogs.

Purpose: To evaluate the bone healing response to different implant root shape designs in a dog model.

Materials And Methods: Three by eight millimeter screw-type short-pitch (SP) and large-pitch (LP) implants (Intra-Lock International, Boca Raton, FL, USA), and 4.5 x 6 mm plateau (P) implants (Bicon LLC, Boston, MA, USA) were placed along the proximal tibia of six dogs for 2 and 4 weeks.

Arsenate reductase, mycothiol, and mycoredoxin concert thiol/disulfide exchange.

We identified the first enzymes that use mycothiol and mycoredoxin in a thiol/disulfide redox cascade. The enzymes are two arsenate reductases from Corynebacterium glutamicum (Cg_ArsC1 and Cg_ArsC2), which play a key role in the defense against arsenate. In vivo knockouts showed that the genes for Cg_ArsC1 and Cg_ArsC2 and those of the enzymes of the mycothiol biosynthesis pathway confer arsenate resistance.

Histomorphometric evaluation of alumina-blasted/acid-etched and thin ion beam-deposited bioceramic surfaces: an experimental study in dogs.

Purpose: In an attempt to overcome the potential long-term limitations observed with plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite-coated implants, nanothickness bioceramic coatings have been processed onto previously grit-blasted/acid-etched surfaces. Our objective was to evaluate the bone response to alumina-blasted/acid-etched and a thin ion beam-deposited bioceramic (Test) implant surfaces at 2 and 4 weeks in vivo with a dog tibia model.

Materials And Methods: Plateau root form implants (5 x 6 mm) were placed bilaterally along the proximal tibia of 6 Doberman dogs and remained for 2 and 4 weeks in vivo (n=6 per implant type and time in vivo).

In vivo selection of Plasmodium falciparum parasites carrying the chloroquine-susceptible pfcrt K76 allele after treatment with artemether-lumefantrine in Africa.

Background: Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) is a major and highly effective artemisinin-based combination therapy that is becoming increasingly important as a new first-line therapy against Plasmodium falciparum malaria. However, recrudescences occurring after AL treatment have been reported. Identification of drug-specific parasite determinants that contribute to treatment failures will provide important tools for the detection and surveillance of AL resistance.

Robust in vivo transduction of a genetically stable Epstein-Barr virus episome to hepatocytes in mice by a hybrid viral vector.

To make a safe, long-lasting gene delivery vehicle, we developed a hybrid vector that leverages the relative strengths of adenovirus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). A fully gene-deleted helper-dependent adenovirus (HDAd) is used as the delivery vehicle for its scalability and high transduction efficiency. Upon delivery, a portion of the HDAd vector is recombined to form a circular plasmid.

Biomechanical and histomorphometric evaluation of a thin ion beam bioceramic deposition on plateau root form implants: an experimental study in dogs.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical fixation, bone-to-implant contact, and bone morphology of an ion beam assisted deposition of a 300-500 nm thick Ca- and P-based bioceramic surface on a previously alumina-blasted/acid-etched Ti-6Al-4V implant surface in a dog model.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-six 4.5 x 11 mm plateau root form implants, control (alumina-blasted/acid-etched-AB/AE) and test groups (AB/AE+300-500 nm bioceramic coating, Nanotite) were placed along a proximal tibia of six beagle dogs remaining for 2 and 4 weeks (n = 3 animals per implantation time).

[Treatment of a rectourethral fistula after radical prostatectomy by York Mason posterior trans-sphincter exposure].

Introduction: Recto-urethral fistula is an uncommon complication after radical prostatectomy, occurring in less than 2% of patients. Our aim is to review our experience for repairing these fistulas with the posterior trans-sphincter approach of York Mason.

Patients And Method: Retrospective review.

Pharmacogenetic tools for malaria and TB in the Developing World.

Some of the largest therapeutic drug exposures in the planet involve drugs employed against malaria and TB, two main global infectious diseases. Amodiaquine for malaria and isoniazid for TB are two pivotal drugs in the management of these diseases. Both drugs have been associated with severe adverse events.

The MurC ligase essential for peptidoglycan biosynthesis is regulated by the serine/threonine protein kinase PknA in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

The Mur ligases play an essential role in the biosynthesis of bacterial cell-wall peptidoglycan and thus represent attractive targets for the design of novel antibacterials. These enzymes catalyze the stepwise formation of the peptide moiety of the peptidoglycan disaccharide peptide monomer unit. MurC is responsible of the addition of the first residue (L-alanine) onto the nucleotide precursor UDP-MurNAc.

Amodiaquine pharmacogenetics.

Amodiaquine is a central drug in the new global strategy of combination therapies for the control of malaria. Amodiaquine is mainly metabolized hepatically towards its major active metabolite desethylamodiaquine, by the polymorphic P450 isoform CYP2C8. Amodiaquine is associated with rare but serious side effects, as well as with relatively frequent mild ones.

Removal torque and histomorphometric evaluation of bioceramic grit-blasted/acid-etched and dual acid-etched implant surfaces: an experimental study in dogs.

Background: Surface modifications to dental implants have been used in an attempt to accelerate the osseointegration process. The objective of this study was to biomechanically/histomorphometrically evaluate a bioceramic grit-blasted and acid-etched surface (BGB/AA; test) versus a dual acid-etched implant surface (control) in a beagle dog model.

Methods: Control and BGB/AA implants were subjected to a series of physicochemical characterization tools, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and auger photoelectron spectroscopy (APS).

Assemblies of DivIVA mark sites for hyphal branching and can establish new zones of cell wall growth in Streptomyces coelicolor.

Time-lapse imaging of Streptomyces hyphae revealed foci of the essential protein DivIVA at sites where lateral branches will emerge. Overexpression experiments showed that DivIVA foci can trigger establishment of new zones of cell wall assembly, suggesting a key role of DivIVA in directing peptidoglycan synthesis and cell shape in Streptomyces.