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Effects of Pentoxifylline on Exercising Skeletal Muscle Vascular Control in Rats with Chronic Heart Failure
No full textPurpose: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is hallmarked by cardiac and peripheral vasculature dysfunction which has been associated with elevations in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and exercise intolerance. The pharmaceutical TNF-α synthesis suppressor pentoxifylline (PTX) reduces plasma [TNF-α] and improves left ventricular (LV) function in CHF rats, but the effects of PTX on skeletal muscle blood flow (BF) and vascular conductance (VC) during exercise are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that PTX would elevate skeletal muscle BF and VC at rest and during submaximal treadmill exercise in CHF rats and improve exercise tolerance and peak O2 uptake.Methods: CHF rats (coronary artery ligation) received i.p. injections of 30 mg·kg-1·day-1of PTX (CHF+PTX, n=13) or saline (CHF, n=8) for 21 days. BF was measured using radiolabeled microspheres at rest and during exercise (treadmill, 20 m/min-1, 5% grade).Results: Resting and exercising mean arterial pressures (MAP) were greater in CHF+PTX compared to CHF (i.e., closer to expected healthy values, both p<0.05). During exercise PTX increased total hindlimb BF (CHF: 83±9, CHF+PTX: 114±8 ml·min-1·100g-1, p<0.05) and VC (CHF: 0.75±0.08, CHF+PTX: 0.88±0.06 ml·min-1·100g-1·mmHg-1, p<0.05). Furthermore, exercising BF was increased in 21 and VC in 11, of the 28 individual hindlimb muscles or muscle parts with no apparent fiber-type specificity.Conclusions: PTX administration augments skeletal muscle BF and VC during locomotory exercise in CHF rats, but the lack of increased exercise tolerance or peak O2 uptake suggest continued peripheral O2 pathway dysfunction
Influence of Bone Morphogenic Protein 7 (BMP7) on the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease
No full textBackground-Aims: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important health problem worldwide. TGF (transforming growth factor)-beta and particularly bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) are held responsible for renal fibrosis. In our study we aimed to evaluate the association between CKD progression and BMP7 levels.Materials and Methods: Our study included 80 patients who are diagnosed with CKD and being followed between January 2008 and December 2010. Progression of CKD was defined as 50% decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), doubling of serum creatinine and initiation of renal replacement therapy. Serum BMP7 levels have been measured initially and at the end of two years follow-up.Results: At the end of the follow-up CKD progression was detected in 18 out of 80 patients (%22.5). Decrease in glomerular filtration rate was found to be correlated with an increase in PTH, phosphorus and a decrease in serum albumin levels. In patients with progressive disease serum BMP7 levels were significantly higher than the ones with stable disease, which were 458±62.3 pg/mL and 360±82.4 pg/mL, respectively.Conclusion: Our results show that the patients with progressive disease have higher BMP7 levels which is a different finding from the previous trials. We speculate that this paradoxal increase may be a compensatory action against the increase in other profibrotic cytokines
Air Conducted Cervical and Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Peudotumor Cerebri Patients.
No full textObjective: Pseudotumor cerebri is a disorder of unknown etiology that results in raised intracranial pressure (ICP) and characterized by attendant signs and symptoms of increased ICP in an alert and oriented patient but without localizing neurologic findings. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) are short latency reflex responses produced by stimulation of the vestibular apparatus. The purpose of this study was to determine whether group of pseudotumor cerebri patients have abnormal changes in VEMPs (cervical and ocular) and to analyze the results and compare them with matched group of normal subjects.Design: Ocular and cervical VEMPs were performed to the entire study groups. The responses were obtained from thirteen pseudotumor cerebri patients and compared to fifteen age matched normal subjects. All participants were subjected to audiological assessments that include pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflexes.Results: Ocular and cervical VEMPs amplitudes were reduced in response in pseudotumor cerebri patients than normal but still of non-statistical significant difference p>0.05.Discussion and Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that patients with pseudotumor cerebri do not have statistically significant changes in comparison with the normal control as regard ocular and cervical VEMPs testing. Hence, asserting a query whether there is affection of VEMPs in pseudotumor cerebri patients
Successful Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris Mimicking Prurigo Nodularis with Acitretin: A Case Report
No full textDiseases of verruca group are skin infections that occur by human papilloma virus (HPV) and are characterized by benign epithelial hyperplasia and excess keratin production. Prurigo nodularis is a chronic skin disorder which is characterized with pruritic verrucous papulonodular lesions. There are many of dermatological diseases that can mimic prurigo nodularis in the literature. This case is reported because its raritiy
The Use of Three-Dimensional Reconstruction Software in Oesophageal Capsule Endoscopy: A Pilot Study from Edinburgh
No full textIntroduction: Oesophageal capsule endoscopy (OCE) is used in the detection of oesophageal varices (OVs). In such context, application of innovative 3-D reconstruction software may improve OCE accuracy.Methods: Fourteen OCE recordings were deconstructed to individual frames, 3-D reconstructed and re-stitched to 3-D videos. Six novice and 4 experienced reviewers read the OCE first in 2-D and then with 2-D / 3-D views. The consensus opinion of 3 hepatologists was used as reference standard (RS). Inter-observer agreement was checked with kappa (κ) statistics. When the RS for C2 (i.e. big OVs) was taken into account, the negative predictive value (NPV) of all reviewers for C2 OVs with 2-D and combined 2-D /3-D was calculated. Moreover, ROC curve analysis was performed.Results: The inter-observer agreement for the entire group, novices, experienced and experts with 2-D was 0.145, 0.118, 0.125 and 0.025, respectively. The inter- observer agreement for the entire group, novice, experienced and experts with 2-D / 3-D was 0.215, 0.104, 0.222 and 0.372, respectively. For C2 OVs, the NPV of 2-D and 2-D / 3-D review was 66.6% and 80%, respectively.Conclusion: In OCE, a 3-D reconstruction software leads to improved diagnostic agreement; furthermore, it improves significantly NPV of OCE for C2 varices.  Â
Acoustical Voice Measurements did Change after Treatment in Patients with Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux: A Prospective Randomized Study Including MDVP (Laryngograph Ltd.)
No full textA randomized prospective controlled study was made in order to find out if voice related acoustical measures show usable predictive pathologies in patients with laryngo-pharyngeal reflux (LPR). The used acoustical program was an advanced MDVP (multi-dimensional voice program) by Laryngograph Ltd. which routinely adjusts to well defined sustained tones measures as well as reading of a standard text and electroglottography. Three treatment groups for LPR were: Life style changes (avoid acid provoking food), and combined with proton pump inhibitors, and the third group also combined with alginate. There was no acoustical difference between the groups; they were therefore added to each other. A comparison between the first and second consultation after two weeks as well as follow up after three months did show significant jitter reduction of the measures of MDVP, and in reading of a standard text the frequency and intensity variations were also reduced. No change was found of electroglottography. The acoustical findings were not related to the oedema of the arytenoid region. The acoustical measures should be refined in the future with online measures on high speed films
Metastatic Sarcoma of the Tongue: Pleomorphic Malignant Fibrous Histiocytoma and Literature Review
No full textMetastatic tumors of the tongue are rare, most commonly arising from carcinomas of the lung, kidney, breast, and melanomas. They usually appear in end-stage disease, especially in the tongue base, probably because of the rich blood supply. Metastatic sarcomas of the tongue are even rarer. We report the seventh case of metastatic tongue sarcoma and the first one in the literature, arising from a pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the lower extremity. ENT surgeons, Maxillofacial surgeons, and Oncologists should be aware of the possibility of metastatic sarcomas of the tongue, even though these lesions are extremely rare. Furthermore, metastatic sarcomas of the tongue represent a late manifestation of a previously identified primary tumor, although if the primary site has not been identified, a thorough investigation to locate an occult tumor should be conducted
Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas
No full textObjective: To assess the relationship between the immunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) with the clinical feature of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).Study Design and Methods: Twenty-nine patients with LSCC were examined as the LSCC group. Twenty-one healthy people who showed no signs of regional or systemic disorders were used as the control group. The staging system for LSCC was determined using American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 2010 criteria. A quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to measure the concentration of soluble serum VEGF and VCAM-1.Results: VEGF levels were higher in the LSCC group compared to the control group (p = 0.001). VCAM levels were not significantly different (p = 0.617). VEGF levels were not correlated to the T and N stage in the LSCC group (p = 0.402). VCAM levels were significantly correlated with the T and N stage (p < 0.0001).Conclusions: VCAM levels could not be used as a tumor marker for diagnosis but were correlated with the stage and, therefore, the aggressivity of the cancer disease
Unusual Foreign Body Oesophagus
No full textLarge foreign bodies (FB) get impacted in cervical oesophagus and are sometimes difficult to remove and the success rate of endoscopic removal of all FBs’ is 80%. Standard technique of removal of a large FB is pushing it to stomach or by cervical oesophageal myotomy. Serdar Han et al. have described a technique to remove by pushing it to hypopharynx, through gastrostomy, retrogradely and removing from hypopharynx. Changxiong wang and Ping chen have reported a novel method of removal of large impacted foreign bodies of oesophagus (upto 12 cms size) by dual channel endoscope. However here is a case report of a large FB – a stone piece (4-5 cm in diameter) removed by rigid endoscopy uneventfully. This case is reported for rarity of such cases in English literature and to highlight the importance of a good X-ray
Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Tissue Alterations of Ultraviolet-Irradiated Skin in Five Different Mice Strains
No full textUltraviolet radiation (UVR) effects on skin have been extensively studied. Several mice strains have been used worldwide in photobiology and photoimmunology studies. Recently, we have developed a method based on flow cytometry in order to analyze mitochondrial dysfunction and superoxide (O2•-) production ex vivo in keratinocytes isolated from irradiated-mice. This method can be helpful to evaluate mitochondrial alterations in different mice models.In this work, we aimed to compare epidermal response to UVR in five mice strains, both pigmented and albino as well as hairy and hairless strains (SKH:1, Balb/c, C57/BL, DBA/2N and Swiss). Keratinocytes mitochondrial alterations, epidermal hyperplasia and inflammatory mediators’ production (epidermis and serum) were determined 72 hours after a 400 mJ/cm2 UV dose.All strains showed epidermal hyperplasia and loss of mitochondrial polarization after irradiation, differing in the magnitude of the response. However, there were significant differences in the basal mitochondrial polarization between strains, showing that the metabolic state of keratinocytes may vary between them. Moreover, mitochondrial O2•- production was induced in SKH:1 and Balb/c after irradiation, whereas in DBA/2N, Swiss and C57/BL it was at the same level or even lower than in the non-irradiated control. Finally, an increase in inflammatory mediators was only detected in the serum of C57/BL and Swiss mice and in the epidermis of DBA/2N and C57/BL.Results show that each mice strain has particular characteristics related to cellular metabolism, which may lead to particular responses to UVR exposure. Therefore, the use of a particular mice strain in photobiology models should be carefully considered