Thalidomide has both anti-inflammatory and regulatory effects in Behcet's disease

Thalidomide is shown to be an effective treatment for mucocutaneous symptoms of Behcet's disease (BD). In this study, the effects of thalidomide on peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated ex vivo. In an open prospective study, ten patients were given 200 mg/day thalidomide for 12 weeks and cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), CD8, CD11a, CD11b, CD16, CD18, CD28, CD44, CD45RO, CD45RA, CD56, CD120a and γδ+ T cells were analysed with flow cytometry at 0, 3, 7, 30 and 90 days. Two patients were excluded from the analysis for attacks of uveitis within the first 2 weeks. At day 7, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) receptor+ (CD120a; 12% vs 5%), CD8/CD11b+ (12% vs 6%) and CD16/CD56+ (16% vs 9%) cells decreased in BD patients compared to day 0. On the other hand, CD4+CD45RO+ T cells (24% vs 34%) at day 30 and γδ+ T cells (11% vs 21%) at day 90 increased after treatment. These results suggest that thalidomide tends to decrease TNF-α receptor levels, CD8/CD11b+ T cells and natural killer cells in early treatment and increases CD4+CD45RO+ memory T and γδ+ T cells later in BD.     

The effects of pentoxifylline on liver regeneration after portal vein ligation in rats.

AIM: To determine the effects of pentoxifylline, a methyl xanthine derivative on hepatic cell production of uninterferred lobe after portal vein branch ligation. METHODS: Sixty-six rats were randomly allocated into 9 groups with 8 rats in PVL groups and 6 rats in sham operation groups. The portal branches of the median and the lateral liver lobes, corresponding to approximately 70% of the liver volume were ligated in the PVL groups. The control group received 0.9% NaCl solution. The rats in the treatment groups received pentoxifylline at the dose of 50 mg/kg/dy. After 1, 2, 4 days of portal vein ligation in both PVL and PVNL lobes the levels of adenine nucleotides were determined and flowcytometric analysis of cell cycles were performed. RESULTS: On the first day of portal branch ligation energy charge was significantly lower, in pentoxifylline treated group comparing to pentoxifylline untreated group, both in PVL and PVNL lobes (P<0.05). Proliferative indexes were 0.38 and 0.29 in pentoxifylline treated and pentoxifylline untreated PVNL lobes respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pentoxifylline treatment resulted in an increase of percentage of calls entering mitosis phase on the first day after PVL, somehow accelerating the regeneration process.     

Rare causes of gastrointestinal hemorrhage in infancy

Gastrointestinal hemorrhage in children is a critical condition that demands quick and effective management. The differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal hemorrhage is wide. Heterotopic pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly and usually discovered incidentally. It is generally asymptomatic, but symptoms may occur when complicated by inflammation, bleeding, obstruction or malign transformation. Heterotopic pancreas may present throughout the gastrointestinal tract, but it is most commonly found in the stomach, duodenum and proximal jejunum. Juvenile polyps are common during childhood and present most often with painless rectal hemorrhage. They remain the most common colonic polyps in children. Colonoscopic polypectomy is the most effective procedure in the treatment of juvenile polyps. In this study, we describe rare causes of gastrointestinal system hemorrhage in infancy and discuss some diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.     

Pulmonary Arterial Hemodynamic Assessment by a Novel Index in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: Pulmonary Pulse Transit Time

Objectives

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic, inflammatory, and autoimmune connective tissue disease that is associated with vascular lesions, and fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs. Cardiac complications may occur as a secondary effect of SSc as a result of pulmonary arterial hypertension and interstitial lung disease. The objective of this study was to assess whether the pulmonary pulse transit time (pPTT) could serve as a diagnostic marker for pulmonary arterial alterations in patients with SSc, prior to development of pulmonary hypertension.

Methods

Twenty-five SSc patients as a study group and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers for the control group were recruited to the study. Right ventricle function parameters, such as tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure (ePASP), right ventricular dimensions, right ventricle fractional area changes, and myocardial perfusion index (MPI) were measured and calculated. Pulmonary pulse transit time was defined as the time interval between the R-wave peak in the ECG and the corresponding peak late systolic pulmonary vein flow velocity.

Results

Right ventricle myocardial performance index (RVMPI) and eSPAP were significantly higher in the SSc group than the controls (p?=?0.032, p?=?0.012, respectively). Pulmonary pulse transit time and TAPSE was shorter in the patients with SSc (p?=?0.006, p?=?0.015, respectively). In correlation analysis, pPTT was inversely correlated with RVMPI (r?=???0.435, p?=?0.003), eSPAP (r?=???0.434, p?=?0.003), and disease duration (r?=???0.595, p?=?0.003). Conversely, it positively correlated with TAPSE (r?=?0.345, p?=?0.022).

Conclusion

pPTT was found to be shorter in SSc patients. pPTT might serve as a surrogate marker of pulmonary hemodynamics in patients with SSc, even prior to the development of pulmonary hypertension.

     

The potential use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in mountain search and rescue operations

Objective

This study explores the potential use of drones in searching for and locating victims and of motorized transportation of search and rescue providers in a mountain environment using a simulation model.

Formation of functional nanobiocatalysts with a novel and encouraging immobilization approach and their versatile bioanalytical applications

The discovery of functional organic–inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (FNFs) consisting of proteins/enzymes as the organic components and Cu(ii) ion as the inorganic component has made an enormous impact on enzyme immobilization studies. The FNFs synthesized by an encouraging and novel approach not only showed high stabilities but also much enhanced catalytic activities as compared to free and conventionally immobilized enzymes. A recent development demonstrated that FNF formation has moved beyond the initial discovery in which enzymes and Cu²⁺ ions used as the organic and inorganic parts, respectively, are replaced with new organic (chitosan, amino acid and plant extracts) and inorganic (Cu²⁺ and Fe²⁺) materials. The new organic materials incorporated into FNFs act as Fenton-like agents and then show peroxidase-like activity owing to the metal ions and the porous structure of FNFs in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). All FNFs have been widely utilized in many different scientific and industrial fields due to their greatly enhanced activities and stabilities. This review focuses primarily on the preparation, characterization, and bioanalytical applications of FNFs and explains the mechanisms of their formation and enhanced activities and stabilities.

The discovery of functional organic–inorganic hybrid nanoflowers (FNFs) consisting of proteins/enzymes as the organic components and Cu(ii) ion as the inorganic component has made an enormous impact on enzyme immobilization studies.     

Evaluation of the thyroid disorders in children with familial Mediterranean fever

Clinical Rheumatology - Although it is well-known that autoimmune thyroid diseases are more common in most of the autoimmune connective tissue diseases, the relationship between autoinflammatory...     

Aprotinin for patients exposed to clopidogrel before off-pump coronary bypass

To verify whether low-dose aprotinin reduces blood loss and blood product usage in patients with clopidogrel exposure within 5 days before off-pump coronary artery bypass, 51 patients with clopidogrel exposure were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive low-dose aprotinin (25 patients), or placebo (26 patients). The baseline characteristics and number of distal anastomoses in the patients in each group were comparable. Time between the last dose of clopidogrel and start of the operation was similar in both groups, as was mean left ventricular ejection fraction. Chest tube drainage, blood product usage, and reoperation rate were significantly higher in the placebo group. In patients with unstable angina and recent clopidogrel exposure who are undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass, intraoperative administration of low-dose aprotinin is recommended to reduce blood loss and transfusion requirements.