Inter-ictal assay of peripheral circulating inflammatory mediators in migraine patients under adjunctive cervical non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS): A proof-of-concept study

Objective

To assay peripheral inter-ictal cytokine serum levels and possible relations with non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) responsiveness in migraineurs.

Elimination of bacteria on different implant surfaces through photosensitization and soft laser. An in vitro study.

Microbiologic examinations of implants have shown that certain micro‐organisms described as periodontal pathogens may have an influence on the development and the progression of peri‐implant disease. This experimental study aimed to examine the bactericidal effect of irradiation with a soft laser on bacteria associated with peri‐implantitis following exposure to a photo‐sensitizing substance. Platelets made of commercially pure titanium, either with a machined surface or with a hydroxyapatite or plasma‐flame‐sprayed surface or with a corundum‐blasted and etched surface, were incubated with a pure suspension of Actinobacillus actinomyetemcomitans or Porphyromonas gingivalis or Prevotella intermedia. The surfaces were then treated with a toluidine blue solution and irradiated with a diode soft laser with a wave length of 905 nm for 1 min. None of the smears obtained from the thus treated surfaces showed bacterial growth, whereas the smears obtained from surfaces that had been subjected to only one type of treatment showed unchanged growth of every target organism tested ( P <0.0006). Electron microscopic inspection of the thus treated platelets revealed that combined dye/laser treatment resulted in the destruction of bacterial cells. The present in vitro results indicate that lethal photosensitization may be of use for treatment of peri‐implantitis.     

Role of nitric oxide in modulating neurotransmitter release from rat striatum

The effect of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro- -arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the basal and stimulation-evoked release of dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh) was investigated in rat striatum. The experiments were carried out in isolated superfused striatal slices, loaded with either [³H]-dopamine or [³H]-choline.We have found that L-NAME reduced the elecrical field stimulation-evoked release of DA, while its enantiomer N-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (D-NAME) was ineffective. In the presence of the nitric oxide (NO) precursor -arginine L-NAME failed to influence DA release. Furthermore, treatment with the N-methyl- -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 completely reversed the effect of L-NAME on striatal DA release. In contrast, L-NAME had no effect on either the basal or the stimulation-evoked ACh release in any experimental conditions studied.Our data indicate that endogenously produced NO is involved in the modulation of striatal DA, but not in ACh release. Furthermore, it seems likely that the modulatory effect of NO is linked to activation of presynaptic NMDA receptors located on the striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals.     

Biological Activity of a Mouse-Human Chimeric Immunoglobulin G2 Antibody to Cryptococcus neoformans Polysaccharide

The variable regions of the heavy and light chains of the protective murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) 2H1 (m2H1) were expressed with the human constant region genes for immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) and kappa, respectively, to construct a chimeric antibody (ch2H1). ch2H1 retains the specificity of the parent MAb, exhibits biological activity, and lacks the toxicity of the parent murine IgG1 in chronically infected mice.     

Canine versus in vitro data for predicting input profiles of L-sulpiride after oral administration.

The objective of this study was to assess the relative usefulness of canine versus in vitro data sets in the prediction of absorption of L-sulpiride (a low permeability compound) from an immediate and an extended release formulation. To reduce species differences on upper gastrointestinal residence times, human and canine data were collected in the fed state. In vitro permeability data (that were additionally confirmed by rat perfusion data) were obtained from the literature. In vitro release data were obtained in media simulating the gastric composition (without and with simultaneous protein digestion) and intestinal composition in the fed state. The results showed that, regardless of the formulation, canine input profiles were vastly different from human profiles at times longer than 2h after administration and led to 2.7 times higher total amount absorbed in dogs. In contrast, reliable in vitro permeability data in combination with in vitro release data collected in biorelevant media led to successful prediction of the human input profile; regardless of the dosage form, simulated and actual mean input profiles differed by less than 20%.     

Hyperamylasemia in inflammatory bowel disease

We determined the prevalance and significance of hyperamylasemia in 180 patients with idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (83 with ulcerative colitis, and 97 with Crohn's disease). Serum total amylase and pancreatic and salivary isoamylase activity were measured in all patients. In all patients with hyperamylasemia, we measured isoamylase activity by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and lipase activity, assayed for the presence of macroamylase, and carried out pancreatic ultrasound examination and barium studies of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Eight of 97 patients with Crohn's disease (8%) had hyperamylasemia; 4 of them had an elevated pancreatic isoamylase and 2 a raised lipase activity. All patients with hyperamylasemia had normal ultrasonographic scans of the pancreas and no evidence of duodenal involvement on barium meal. None had macroamylasemia. We found no relationship of hyperamylasemia to disease site, activity, and duration or therapy and no patient developed clinical evidence of pancreatitis. We conclude that a small but important number of patients with Crohn's disease have hyperamylasemia not associated with overt pancreatitis. In the absence of appropriate indications, it requires no investigation.     

Quality of life in Greek family members living with leg ulcer patients

Leg ulcers have been shown to have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life (QoL). Little is known, however, about the secondary impact of the disease on the QoL of the relatives and partners of patients with leg ulcers. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of chronic leg ulcers on the lives of both patients and their family members. Two hundred sixteen patients with leg ulcers and their family members were recruited. All patients entered were evaluated for QoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scale, and family members were similarly evaluated using the Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI).The study included 56 female and 52 male patients, and 50 female and 58 male family members. The FDLQI score for the latter group was 14.37 ± 2.46 with over 96% of family members reporting a large effect on their QoL due to their relative's disease. The DLQI score in patients with leg ulcers was 13.18 ± 2.88. A significant positive and high correlation between DLQI and FDLQI scores (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) was documented, while DLQI contributed significantly to the prediction of FDLQI (standardized β = 0.71, p < 0.001). Our study results indicate that the QoL of the family was also affected by the patient's condition of chronic leg ulcers and clearly associated with that of the patients.     

The association of physical activity with novel adipokines in patients with type 2 diabetes

BackgroundAdipose-tissue derivatives, known as adipokines, have been involved in the inflammatory-mediated metabolic and cardiovascular disorders of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study examined the association between novel adipokines and self-reported physical activity, a potential anti-inflammatory mediator.MethodsWe enrolled 247 men and women with T2DM, free from overt cardiovascular disease. Based on a physical activity questionnaire, patients were classified into groups: A) sedentary, who did not report any physical activity or reported light activities < 2 h/week and B) active, referring to low or moderate-intensity physical activities > 2 h/week. Among them, 88 patients were randomly selected to perform a cardiorespiratory ergocycle testing. Clinical parameters, glycemic and lipid profiles, HOMA-IR, and serum levels of visfatin, apelin, vaspin, ghrelin and adiponectin were assessed.ResultsWith the exception of fat-mass, our groups did not differ in anthropometric parameters and pharmaceutical regimen. Active patients showed ameliorated glucose regulation, HOMA-IR, hsCRP and exercise capacity compared to sedentary counterparts (p < 0.01). Active rather than sedentary patients showed lower visfatin (10.16 ± 5.53 ng/ml vs 14.77 ± 8.48 ng/ml, p = 0.013), higher apelin (1.39 ± 0.65 ng/ml vs 1.04 ± 0.35 ng/ml, p = 0.018) and adiponectin (11.82 ± 3.06 μg/ml vs 7.81 ± 2.11 μg/ml, p = 0.033) levels. There were non-significant differences in the rest of parameters between groups. After adjusting for age, sex and BMI, physical activity along with hsCRP and ghrelin remained independent determinants of visfatin levels (R² = 0.328, p = 0.032), while physical activity was independently associated with apelin (R² = 0.221, p = 0.022).ConclusionsSelf-controlled physical activity of, even, moderate intensity ameliorates adipokines, such as visfatin, apelin and adiponectin, in patients with T2DM. Prospective interventional studies will confirm our results.The ClinicalTrials.gov identifier is: NCT00306176.     

Clinical value of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in suspected serious disease with special emphasis on occult cancer

Annals of Nuclear Medicine - Suspected serious disease (SSD) is a disease designation often given to patients with one or more non-specific symptoms of severe disease that could be due to cancer;...