1,720,975 research outputs found
Jurassic surgery and immunity enhancement by alkyglycerols of shark liver oil
Full text linkShark liver oil (SLO) contains both alkylglycerols (AKG) and squalene and is an ancient remedy among the fishermen on the west coast of Norway and Sweden. Literature reports showed that alkyglycerols enhance Fc–receptor mediated phagocytosis, increase humoral immune response and delay hypersensitivity reactions. On this background we performed an open spontaneous study on 40 very old aged surgical patients preoperatively treated with alkyglycerols (500 mg twice a day for 4 weeks), in order to reduce the risks of operation, counteracting the postoperative inflammatory and anergic conditions thus achieving quick and plain recovery. To better understand the possible therapeutic impact of alkyglycerols we compared on a case/control basis treated versus untreated patients submitted contemporarily to the identical operation and exposed to the same environmental and seasonal risks. The onset of complications was reduced in the alkyglycerols treated group and the compliance to the natural treatment was excellent without any serious adverse effect. WBC count and IgG significant increase (respectively p < 0.05 and p < 0.001) might explain some sort of protection against infectious agents and wound repair adverse events. Also lymphocytes concentration significantly increased in the AKG treated group (p < 0.001) whereas a slight decrease was observed in the control group. Conversely neutrophils significantly decreased in the AKG treated group (p < 0.001) meaning that patients have no more infections and have re-established their physiologic state. However a significant increase was observed in the control group (p < 0.05). CRP significantly decreased in the group receiving AKG (p <0.05), thus evidencing a slight antiinflammtory effect of the product. Also ESR decreased from a baseline in the group receiving AKG. In conclusion we suggest the opportunity to introduce this nutraceutical product in dosages of 500 mg twice a day to very old people before surgical treatment for an effective modulation of leukocytes and soluble immune reactivity according with the shark liver oil consumption trend in the northern Europe countries folk medicine. For this reason it might be advisable a wider study on a substantially bigger patients cohort focused on the complication rate prevention or control
Ocular clinical pictures disclosed by PCR molecular diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection performed following the appropriate sampling modality in ocular ecosystem.
No full textFour clinical cases regarding the correct diagnosis of early ocular Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) inflammation, performed by two different modalities on the ocular ecosystem, are discussed. The present study was carried out in parallel using a cotton flock ocular swab and the scraping of upper lid conjunctiva. The ocular samplings were carried out by a first ocular swab from inner canthus and fornix, while the second by a conjunctival scraping from upper the conjunctiva of four patients. In the first case, by ocular swab, all samples resulted negative to Ct-DNA research by PCR, while the cultural analyses showed a growth of saprophytic and opportunist germs in all patients. No growth micetes resulted. On the contrary, in the second case, by conjunctival scraping, three of four samples were positive to Ct-DNA research. No fungal growth was observed, while only the 3rd patient, negative to Ct-DNA research, showed microbial growth. Our study, carried out with two different modalities of sampling on different areas of the same ecosystem, showed different results, demonstrating the importance of sampling accuracy for chlamydial research by molecular analysis in PCR, during the slight phase of inflammation. These initial data indicate that laboratory diagnosis by PCR for precocious Ct infection, not revealed clinically, could represent the first step for a correct diagnostic procedure, eliminating one of the critical points, allowing an accurate, effective and precocious antibiotic therapy. We hypothesize that only by following these correct procedures of sampling during the early phase of chlamydial inflammation, in the future, will it be possible to reduce a pejorative evolution of this worsening disease in people genetically susceptible, building a more efficacious Public Health program of prevention against chronic conjunctivitis and to favour a major prevention of trachoma in endemic areas
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