Since recent reports have shown that (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) could be used for treating proliferative and inflammatory disorders, we explored its use for the management of corneal chemical burns.
Materials and methods
Initially, EGCG was assayed on the rabbit corneal epithelial cell line RCE1(5T5) to establish the best testing conditions, and to avoid unwanted outcomes in the experimental animals. Then, we studied its effects on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and cell differentiation. Afterwards, we instilled EGCG in experimental grade II corneal alkali burns in mice, three times a day up to 21 days, and evaluated by slit lamp examination and histological sections of corneal epithelial, corneal endothelial and stromal edema, as well as the presence of inflammatory cells and neovascularization.
Results
EGCG reduced cell growth and led to a decline in the proportion of proliferative cells in a concentration dependent manner. At 10 μM, EGCG promoted cell differentiation, an effect not related with apoptosis or cytotoxicity. When 10 μM EGCG was instilled in corneal alkali burns in mice three times a day up to 21 days, EGCG significantly reduced corneal opacity and neovascularization. The improved clinical appearance of the cornea was associated to a controlled epithelial growth; epithelial morphology was similar to that observed in normal epithelium and contrasted with the hyperproliferative, desquamating epithelium observed in control burn wounds. EGCG reduced corneal, stromal and endothelial edema, and wound inflammation.
Conclusion
This work constitutes the first evidence for the use of EGCG in the acute phase of a corneal alkali burn, representing a possible novel alternative to improve patient outcomes as an add-on therapy. 相似文献
To analyse and understand vaccination hesitancy discourses, particularly those of people who have decided not to vaccinate their sons and daughters.
Methods
Qualitative study of five individual interviews and two focus groups with people who chose not to vaccinate their children in the province of Granada (Spain).
Results
Mothers and fathers manifest a system of health beliefs different to the biomedical paradigm. From an ethical point of view, they justify their position based on the right to autonomy and responsibility for their decisions. Alleged specific reasons: they doubt administration of several vaccines simultaneously at an early age in a systematic way and without individualising each case; they fear adverse effects and do not understand the variations of the vaccination schedule.
Conclusions
These vaccination hesitancy discourses respond to the individual vs collective conflict; parents defend their right to bring up their children without any interference from the state and focus their responsibility on the individual welfare of their sons and daughters, regardless of the consequences that their actions might have on the collective. In their management of risks, they consider those derived from vaccination more relevant than the individual or collective consequences of not doing so. The vaccines generating most doubts are the more controversial ones within the scientific world. Transparency in communication of adverse effects; authorities respect for other health/disease concepts; banishment of the term “anti-vaccines” from the media and scientific vocabulary, and developing spaces for dialogue are bridges to be built. 相似文献
Since accelerated atherosclerosis has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), predictive biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are needed. Among non-traditional risk factors, bone mineral density (BMD) has been related to CVD. However, its role in SLE remains controversial. This study aims to analyze the associations of subclinical atherosclerosis with traditional and non-traditional CV risk factors.
Methods and results
In a cross-sectional study, atherosclerosis burden was compared between 112 female SLE patients and 31 controls. Plaque number and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT) were assessed by ultrasonography. In a retrospective study, BMD determinations obtained 5-years before the ultrasonography assessment were analyzed in a subgroup of 62 patients. Plaque frequency was increased in SLE, even in patients without CV events or carotid wall thickening. cIMT was increased in patients with CVD, positively correlated with body mass index (BMI). Interestingly, a paradoxical effect of BMI on carotid parameters was observed. Whereas underweight patients (BMI < 20) showed increased prevalence of carotid plaques with low cIMT, those with BMI > 30 showed higher cIMT and plaque burden. Overweight patients (25 < BMI<30) exhibited both elevated cIMT and plaque number. BMI was an independent predictor of BMD. In our retrospective study, patients with either clinical or subclinical CVD exhibited lower BMD levels than their CV-free counterparts. A low lumbar spine BMD independently predicted CVD development after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusion
SLE was associated with a higher subclinical atherosclerosis burden, a bimodal effect being observed for BMI. Decreased BMD can be a CV risk biomarker in SLE. 相似文献
The Latin American population has a double way of immigration, one toward the United States by proximity and another toward Spain by sociocultural affinity. This population increase is affecting organ donation and transplantation in receiving countries.
Objective
To analyze the brain death (BD) concept knowledge in the Dominican Republic immigrant population in Florida (United States) and Spain.
Method
Population under study: Population born in the Dominican Republic, resident in Florida (United States) and in Spain. Inclusion criteria: Population older than 15 years stratified by age and sex. Assessment instrument: Donation attitude questionnaire PCID-DTO-Ríos. Fieldwork: Random selection based on stratification. Immigration support association collaboration in Florida and Spain was needed to locate potential respondents. Completion was anonymous and self-administered, with verbal consent.
Results
A total of 123 respondents, 57 residents in Spain and 66 in Florida, have been included in the study. The 27% (n = 33) of the respondents knowledgeable of the BD concept consider it the death of an individual. Of the remainder, 52% (n = 64) do not know about it, and the remaining 21% (n = 26) believe it does not mean the death of a patient. No differences were observed regarding migration countries (P > .05). There was no association of the BD concept with other psychosocial factors analyzed or with the attitude toward organ donation.
Conclusions
Knowledge of the BD concept among the Dominican immigrant population is similar in Spain and Florida, and, unlike most studies, there is no objective association with the attitude toward organ donation. 相似文献
We have recently shown that human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) levels correlate with the severity of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. However, there are no data on how HE4 levels alter in patients receiving CFTR modulating therapy.
Methods
In this retrospective clinical study, 3 independent CF patient cohorts (US-American: 29, Australian: 12 and Irish: 19 cases) were enrolled carrying at least one Class III CFTR CF-causing mutation (p.Gly551Asp) and being treated with CFTR potentiator ivacaftor. Plasma HE4 was measured by immunoassay before treatment (baseline) and 1–6?months after commencement of ivacaftor, and were correlated with FEV1 (% predicted), sweat chloride, C-reactive protein (CRP) and body mass index (BMI).
Results
After 1?month of therapy, HE4 levels were significantly lower than at baseline and remained decreased up to 6?months. A significant inverse correlation between absolute and delta values of HE4 and FEV1 (r?=??0.5376; P?<?.001 and r?=??0.3285; P?<?.001), was retrospectively observed in pooled groups, including an independent association of HE4 with FEV1 by multiple regression analysis (β?=??0.57, P?=?.019). Substantial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) value was determined for HE4 when 7% mean change of FEV1 (0.722 [95% CI 0.581–0.863]; P?=?.029) were used as classifier, especially in the first 2?months of treatment (0.806 [95% CI 0.665–0.947]; P?<?.001).
Conclusions
This study shows that plasma HE4 levels inversely correlate with lung function improvement in CF patients receiving ivacaftor. Overall, this potential biomarker may be of value for routine clinical and laboratory follow-up of CFTR modulating therapy. 相似文献
ABSTRACTThis study closely examines 51 breast cancer narratives Latina and Spanish women wrote for other patients to illuminate how they conceptualize their health, with insights for addressing health disparities. Using discourse analysis of the role of language and culture in health care communication, this study focuses on the use of metaphors in the narratives. This provides revelations about the cultural and linguistic aspects of how the writers conceptualize their disease. Building on past research on metaphor use in cancer discourse in the English language, this study reveals the prevalence of metaphors comparing cancer to combat, or more generally, violence (e.g., “my battle against cancer”), or a journey (e.g., “my path with cancer”). Writers used this metaphorical language to offer advice to others with cancer and to mark their membership in a larger community of people with cancer. We also find that Spanish women use metaphors more frequently than Latinas and that they differed in their metaphorical portrayals of cancer. This research uncovers culturally embedded themes that are central to how women with cancer think about the disease, such as the prominence of spirituality in Latinas’ metaphorical constructions, a pattern not evident in Spanish women’s narratives. 相似文献
Robotic approaches have been steadily replacing laparoscopic approaches in metabolic and bariatric surgeries (MBS); however, their superiority has not been rigorously evaluated. The main goal of the study was to evaluate the 5-year utilization trends of robotic MBS and to compare to laparoscopic outcomes.
Methods
Retrospective analysis of 2015–2019 MBSAQIP data. Kruskal-Wallis test/Wilcoxon and Fisher’s exact/chi-square were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Generalized linear models were used to compare surgery outcomes.
Results
The use of robotic MBS increased from 6.2% in 2015 to 13.5% in 2019 (N= 775,258). Robotic MBS patients had significantly higher age, BMI, and likelihood of 12 diseases compared to laparoscopic patients. After adjustment, robotic MBS patients showed higher 30-day interventions and 30-day readmissions alongside longer surgery time (26–38 min).
Conclusion
Robotic MBS shows higher intervention and readmission even after controlling for cofounding variables.
