Molecular Docking of Compounds Modulating Amyloid Peptide Aggregation Schemes

Access full text - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-31866-6_67This work is dedicated to in silico studies of the interaction of artemisinin, dihydroartemisinin, dihydroartemisinin dimer with amyloid 12Аβ9-40 peptide and β- secretase

Factors affecting study efficiency and item non-response in health surveys in developing countries: the Jamaica national healthy lifestyle survey

BACKGROUND: Health surveys provide important information on the burden and secular trends of risk factors and disease. Several factors including survey and item non-response can affect data quality. There are few reports on efficiency, validity and the impact of item non-response, from developing countries. This report examines factors associated with item non-response and study efficiency in a national health survey in a developing Caribbean island. METHODS: A national sample of participants aged 15–74 years was selected in a multi-stage sampling design accounting for 4 health regions and 14 parishes using enumeration districts as primary sampling units. Means and proportions of the variables of interest were compared between various categories. Non-response was defined as failure to provide an analyzable response. Linear and logistic regression models accounting for sample design and post-stratification weighting were used to identify independent correlates of recruitment efficiency and item non-response. RESULTS: We recruited 2012 15–74 year-olds (66.2% females) at a response rate of 87.6% with significant variation between regions (80.9% to 97.6%; p < 0.0001). Females outnumbered males in all parishes. The majority of subjects were recruited in a single visit, 39.1% required multiple visits varying significantly by region (27.0% to 49.8% [p < 0.0001]). Average interview time was 44.3 minutes with no variation between health regions, urban-rural residence, educational level, gender and SES; but increased significantly with older age category from 42.9 minutes in the youngest to 46.0 minutes in the oldest age category. Between 15.8% and 26.8% of persons did not provide responses for the number of sexual partners in the last year. Women and urban residents provided less data than their counterparts. Highest item non-response related to income at 30% with no gender difference but independently related to educational level, employment status, age group and health region. Characteristics of non-responders vary with types of questions. CONCLUSION: Informative health surveys are possible in developing countries. While survey response rates may be satisfactory, item non-response was high in respect of income and sexual practice. In contrast to developed countries, non-response to questions on income is higher and has different correlates. These findings can inform future surveys

Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases and Compartmentation in Normal and Diseased Heart

International audienceCyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) degrade the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, thereby regulating multiple aspects of cardiac function. This highly diverse class of enzymes encoded by 21 genes encompasses 11 families which are not only responsible for the termination of cyclic nucleotide signalling, but are also involved in the generation of dynamic microdomains of cAMP and cGMP controlling specific cell functions in response to various neurohormonal stimuli. In myocardium, the PDE3 and PDE4 families are predominant to degrade cAMP and thereby regulate cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. PDE3 inhibitors are positive inotropes and vasodilators in human, but their use is limited to acute heart failure and intermittent claudication. PDE5 is particularly important to degrade cGMP in vascular smooth muscle, and PDE5 inhibitors are used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. However, these drugs do not seem efficient in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. There is experimental evidence that these PDEs as well as other PDE families including PDE1, PDE2 and PDE9 may play important roles in cardiac diseases such as hypertrophy and heart failure. After a brief presentation of the cyclic nucleotide pathways in cardiac cells and the major characteristics of the PDE superfamily, this chapter will present their role in cyclic nucleotide compartmentation and the current use of PDE inhibitors in cardiac diseases together with the recent research progresses that could lead to a better exploitation of the therapeutic potential of these enzymes in the future

Imitators of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is described by transient narrowing of the airways after exercise. It occurs in approximately 10% of the general population, while athletes may show a higher prevalence, especially in cold weather and ice rink athletes. Diagnosis of EIB is often made on the basis of self-reported symptoms without objective lung function tests, however, the presence of EIB can not be accurately determined on the basis of symptoms and may be under-, over-, or misdiagnosed. The goal of this review is to describe other clinical entities that mimic asthma or EIB symptoms and can be confused with EIB

Pachyonychia congenita with late onset of nail dystrophy: a new clinical entity?

Pachyonychia congenita syndrome (PCS) is a genetic disease with an autosomal dominant mode of transmission in which the main sign, pachyonychia, usually arises at birth or in childhood together with other disorders of keratinization. A 28-year-old woman developed subungual hyperkeratosis of all toe-nails and thumb-nails associated with pain on pressure and walking. She had a scrotal tongue with leucokeratotic areas, blister formation, plantar hyperkeratosis, palmoplantar hyperhidrosis and dental cavities since childhood. The present case, interpreted as PCS of late onset, could be a clinical variant of the Jadassohn-Lewandowsky syndrome with the late onset of pachyonychia or else an additional form of PCS due to the expression of a new and different allele