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To explore the value of circulating luteinizing human chorionic gonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) forms for the prediction of preeclampsia (PE) in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of mutations in the islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) gene in a Spanish population with type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Using polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformation polymorphism, we examined the coding region and the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of the IAPP gene in 177 unrelated type 2 diabetic patients, 110 healthy control subjects, 38 women with GDM, and 38 gestational control subjects. Mutations were confirmed by DNA sequencing. A heterozygous C-to-A nucleotide substitution at +79 bp in intron 2 of the IAPP gene was detected. The frequencies of the +79-bp polymorphism (A allele) were 6.8% in type 2 diabetic patients, 7.7% in nondiabetic control subjects, 11.8% in women with GDM, and 9.2% in gestational control subjects. No AA genotypes were detected. Nondiabetic subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes bearing the CA genotype had lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels than subjects bearing wild genotype. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an independent association (p0.001; odds ratio: 0.33; 95% confidence interval: 0.17-0.63). We did not detect any sequence variant within exons 1 or 2. One diabetic patient was heterozygous for a silent mutation at codon 31 of exon 3 (Asn31 AAC --AAT). Our findings indicate that the presence of the +79-bp polymorphism of the IAPP gene in nondiabetic subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with lower levels of LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, abnormalities of the coding regions or the 5'-UTR of the IAPP gene are not associated with type 2 diabetes or GDM in the Spanish population.

Engineered nanoparticles (NP) are generally contaminated by bacterial endotoxin, a ubiquitous bacterial molecule with significant toxic and inflammatory effects. The presence of endotoxin, if not recognised, can be responsible for many of the in vitro and in vivo effects attributed to NPs. The Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay, the test requested by regulatory authorities for assessing endotoxin contamination in products for human use, is not immediately applicable for testing endotoxin in NP preparations, mainly due to the possible interference of NPs with the assay readouts and components. In this study, we have compared different commercially available LAL assays for detecting endotoxin in gold, silver and iron oxide NPs. Different NP chemistry, concentrations and surface coatings could differently interfere with the LAL assays' results. After accurate testing of the possible interaction/interference of NPs with the various assay components, the modified chromogenic LAL assay proved the most suitable assay for measuring endotoxin in NP samples, provided the appropriate controls are performed. Thus, endotoxin determination can be performed in NP preparation with commercial LAL assays only after assay validation, i.e. once possible interference of NPs with the assay components and readouts has been excluded.

El descanso nocturno es imprescindible para el bienestar físico y psíquico de toda persona y una inadecuada cobertura de esta necesidad influye negativamente en el paciente y altera su calidad de vida. El insomnio definido como "una deficiencia persistente en la cantidad del sueño que afecta a la normal actividad y bienestar del individuo" es una queja frecuente entre los pacientes hospitalizados; motivo que justifica la necesidad de una atención especial a este problema. Nos planteamos como objetivos identificar qué factores afectan en el descanso nocturno y saber si el personal de enfermería conoce estos factores. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo transversal realizado en las unidades de hematología y oncología durante el mes de marzo de 2008. Para recoger los datos elaboramos una encuesta para los pacientes y otra para el personal de enfermería. El 91% de la muestra respondió que se despertaba durante la noche en el hospital y el 40% lo hace más de tres veces. Los factores que más alteran el descanso del paciente son los factores psicológicos (preocupación por la enfermedad, por la familia y el aburrimiento durante la hospitalización). Como conclusiones destacamos que tanto enfermería como pacientes coinciden en que no se duerme en el hospital. El personal de enfermería demostró tener una buena percepción de las causas principales de insomnio de los pacientes. Ambos han coincidido en cómo los factores psicológicos influyen en el patrón de reposo/sueño. Por ello sería importante que el personal de enfermería dedicara especial atención al manejo de los factores psicológicos a través de distintas técnicas. Resting is essential for physical and mental well being of everyone and inadequate coverage of this requirement negatively affects the patient and disturbs life quality. Insomnia, defined as "a persistent weakness in the quantity of sleep that affects the normal activity and well being of the individual," is a common complaint among hospitalized patients; a reason that justifies the need of special attention to this problem. Our objectives were to identify factors that affect rest, and whether the nursing staff is aware of these factors. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the hematology and oncology units during the month of March 2008. To collect the data we created a survey for patients and for nurses. A percentage of 91% of the sample responded that they woke up during the night in the hospital and 40% do so more than three times. The factors that affect the rest of the patient are the psychological factors (concern about the disease, the family, and boredom during hospitalization). To conclude it is emphasized that both patients and nurses agree that a high percentage do not sleep in the hospital. The nursing staff showed a good perception of the major causes of insomnia in patients. Both have agreed on the extent to which psychological factors influence the pattern of rest/sleep. Therefore it is important that the nursing staff devote special attention to the management of psychological factors through different techniques.

To investigate long-term lipid and lipoprotein changes in postmenopausal women treated with tibolone in a prospective study using appropriate control groups.Seventy-six of 105 postmenopausal women initially selected for this study completed the 2-year follow-up. Patients were allocated into three groups. The first received 2.5 mg/day tibolone continuously (n = 27; group T), the second received 0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogen plus 2.5 mg/day of medroxyprogesterone (group E-P) continuously (n = 25), and a third group contained an additional 24 women who did not receive replacement therapy; these constituted the untreated control group (group C). Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were determined in all patients before joining the study and also at 12 and 24 months after being included.Women treated with tibolone experienced the greatest decreases in cholesterol, both total and high density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG), whereas the highest increase in HDL was observed in the group E-P. A decrease in low density lipoprotein levels was detected in both therapy groups, whereas a significant increase was observed in the control group. TG were increased after E-P therapy. In all the groups, apolipoprotein AI showed parallel trends to HDL and apolipoprotein B to low density lipoprotein.Both therapy groups, tibolone and E-P, induced changes in levels of plasma lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. Long-term tibolone treatment is associated with a marked and significant decrease in HDL apolipoprotein AI and TG, an effect that defines the major difference with standard HRT. Clearly, further studies are necessary to establish the definite risk/benefit ratio of tibolone with respect to its overall effect on lipid metabolism.

To evaluate plasma lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoprotein changes induced by gestational diabetes.In this case-control study, 60 women between 26 and 32 weeks of pregnancy were allocated to four groups according to lipid status and glucose tolerance: (1) normolipemia and no gestational diabetes, (2) normolipemia and gestational diabetes, (3) hyperlipemia and no gestational diabetes, and (4) hyperlipemia and gestational diabetes. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDLc), triglycerides, triglycerides/very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), apolipoproteins (APO) A1 and APO B, APO B-VLDL and APO B/low-density lipoprotein were measured.There were no statistically significant differences in the normolipemic group of women. Among the hyperlipemic patients, gestational diabetic women showed lower VLDLc when compared to nondiabetic patients.Our results, comparing groups separated groups by lipid status, show that the only difference in lipid profile associated with glucose intolerance is lower VLDLc in hyperlipemic patients.