Fetal Wound Healing Biomarkers

Fetal skin has the intrinsic capacity for wound healing, which is not correlated with the intrauterine environment. This intrinsic ability requires biochemical signals, which start at the cellular level and lead to secretion of transforming factors and expression of receptors, and specific markers that promote wound healing without scar formation. The mechanisms and molecular pathways of wound healing still need to be elucidated to achieve a complete understanding of this remodeling system. The aim of this paper is to discuss the main biomarkers involved in fetal skin wound healing as well as their respective mechanisms of action.     

Bioactivation to an aldehyde metabolite—Possible role in the onset of toxicity induced by the anti-HIV drug abacavir

Aldehydes are highly reactive molecules, which can be generated during numerous physiological processes, including the biotransformation of drugs. Several non-P450 enzymes participate in their metabolism albeit alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase are the ones most frequently involved in this process. Endogenous and exogenous aldehydes have been strongly implicated in multiple human pathologies. Their ability to react with biomacromolecules (e.g. proteins) yielding covalent adducts is suggested to be the common primary mechanism underlying the toxicity of these reactive species.     

The “PErFecTED Technique”: Proximal Embolization First,Then Embolize Distal for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Prostatic artery embolization requires a refined technique to achieve good imaging and clinical success. The PErFecTED (Proximal Embolization First, Then Embolize Distal) technique has produced greater prostate ischemia and infarction than previously described methods with clinical improvement of lower urinary symptoms and lower recurrence rates. The microcatheter should cross any collateral branch to the bladder, rectum, corpus cavernosum, gonad, or penis and be placed distally into the prostatic artery before its branching to the central gland and peripheral zone. This technique allows better distribution of embolic material in the intraprostatic arteries and reduces risk of spasm or thrombus. Because benign prostatic hyperplasia develops primarily in the periurethral region of the prostate, the urethral group of arteries should be embolized first. Subsequent distal investigation and embolization completes occlusion and stasis of blood flow to the prostatic parenchyma. Since we added the second step to the PErFecTED technique, we have observed infarcts in all patients submitted to prostatic artery embolization.     

Assistive technology for communication of older adults: a systematic review

Objective: Describe the use of assistive technology to enhance communication opportunities for older adults.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted in two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, by using two different searches in each. The search was limited to original articles, in English language, including people aged 60 years and older that used any type of assistive technology for communication. The articles found in the initial search were filtered by title, abstracts and the remaining articles were fully read.

Results: Eighteen studies were included in this review after the reading of full-texts. Most of the studies included apparently healthy participants with communication limitations due to aging related changes and the others included people with some pathology that prevent them from normal communication.

Conclusion: Four categories of assistive technology were identified: assistive technology for people with speech problems; robot or videoconferencing systems; Information and Communication Technologies and, other types of assistive technology for communication, such as hearing aids and scrapbooks. Assistive technology for communication of older adults is not only used by people with disabilities that prevent them from usual communication. They are mostly for older adults without a pathological communication problem.     

A new technique for low-volume continuous sampling of spent dialysate: a validation study

Journal of Artificial Organs - The measure of hemodialysis (HD) adequacy recommended nowadays by most guidelines, Kt/V-urea, presents significant drawbacks. Direct dialysis quantification (DDQ)...