Neutrophil hypochlorous acid production is impaired in multiple organ failure patients with candidaemia; reversal with antifungal agents

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Neutrophil-derived hypochlorous acid (PMN-HOCL) is a potent bactericidal and fungicidal agent. Neutrophils from patients with multiple organ failure (MOF) have an altered ability to inhibit Candida albicans. Conversely antifungal agents are effective in decreasing mortality in MOF patients with fungaemia. We determined the effect on the rate of production of PMN-HOCL in a series of MOF patients with C. albicans fungaemia when antifungal agents are administered. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with MOF were recruited. Four patients had culture-positive C. albicans fungaemia (group 1) and 7 patients with MOF but without C. albicans fungaemia acted as controls (group 2). HOCL assays were performed on peripheral blood PMN obtained from group 1 and group 2 patients. RESULTS: The maximum PMN-HOCL production rate for group 1 increased from 0.24 nmol/million PMN/min to 0.8 nmol/million PMN/min after treatment with antifungal agents (p < 0.01) (Mann-Whitney U test) whereas the PMN-HOCL kinetic (rate) curves for group 1 post-treatment and for group 2 were similar (student's-t-test). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that antifungal treatment improve PMN-HOCL production in MOF patients with C. albicans fungaemia and may improve the effectiveness in eradicating the organism.     

Allergic conversion of protective mucosal immunity against nasal bacteria in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis

1. Download high-res image (155KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

Effect of shoulder girdle strengthening on trunk alignment in patients with stroke

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of shoulder girdle strengthening, particularly the scapular muscles, on poststroke trunk alignment. [Subjects and Methods] The study involved 30 patients with residual hemiparesis following cerebrovascular stroke. Patient assessment included measuring shoulder muscle peak torque, scapular muscles peak force, spinal lateral deviation angle, and motor functional performance. Patients were randomly allocated either to the control group or the study group and received an 18-session strengthening program including active resisted exercises for shoulder abductors and external rotators in addition to trunk control exercises. The study group received additional strengthening exercises for the scapular muscles. [Results] The two groups showed significant improvement in strength of all shoulder and scapular muscles, with higher improvement in the study group. Similarly, the lateral spinal deviation angles significantly improved in both groups, with significantly higher improvement in the study group. Transfer activity, sitting balance, upper limb functions, and hand movements significantly improved in the two groups, with higher improvement in the latter two functions in the study group. [Conclusion] Strengthening of shoulder girdle muscles, particularly scapular muscles, can significantly contribute to improving the postural alignment of the trunk in patients with poststroke hemiparesis.Key words: Stroke, Scapular muscles strengthening, Lateral trunk alignment     

Serum growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) level in behcet's disease patients: Relation to clinical characteristics,musculoskeletal ultrasound findings and disease activity

Aim of the workThis study was conducted to assess serum level of growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15) in Behcet’s disease (BD) patients and its relationship with clinical characteristics, ultrasound findings and disease activity.Patients and methodsStudy included 30 BD patients and 20 matched healthy controls. Visual analog scale (VAS)-pain of affected joints and Behcet’s disease current activity form (BDCAF) were assessed. The most affected joints and surrounding soft tissues were assessed by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS).Serum GDF-15 level was measured.ResultsPatients were 23 males and 7 females (M:F 3.3:1) with a mean age of 34.6 ± 8.6 years and mean disease duration of 6.6 ± 4.5 years. 18(60%) had arthritis and arthralgia. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were 26.2 ± 21.2 mm/1^sthr and 50.4 ± 37 mg/dl respectively. There was significant increase of GDF-15 levels in patients with articular affection (3492.3 ± 4618.8 ng/ml) compared to those without (338.9 ± 90.3 ng/ml) and controls (322 ± 78.8 ng/ml) (p < 0.001).As regard MSUS, knee (n = 8) and ankle joints (n = 8) were the most commonly affected joints. Synovitis was present in 13 patients, enthesopathy was present in 10. GDF-15 significantly correlated with ESR and CRP (r = 0.48;p = 0.008 and r = 0.73, p = 0.005) and both remained significant on regression analysis that ESR (p = 0.019 and p = 0.007 respectively). At a serum GDF-15 cut-off point of 570 ng/ml for patients with peripheral arthritis/arthralgia the sensitivity and specificity were 88.9% and 91.7% respectively.ConclusionSerum GDF-15 can be used as a marker for articular affection in BD patients and is associated with the MSUS imaging visualizing subclinical inflammatory changes.     

Impact of Mild versus Moderate Intensity Aerobic Walking Exercise Training on Markers of Bone Metabolism and Hand Grip Strength in Moderate Hemophilic A Patients

Background

Patients with hemophilia A have low bone density than healthy controls. It is now widely recognized that physical activity and sports are beneficial for patients with hemophilia.

Objective

To compare the effects of mild and moderate intensity treadmill walking exercises on markers of bone metabolism and hand grip strength in male patients with moderate hemophilia A.

Material and Methods

Fifty male patients with moderate hemophilia, and age range from 25 to 45 years. The subjects were randomly assigned into 2 equal groups; the first group (A) received moderate intensity aerobic exercise training. The second group (B) received mild intensity aerobic exercise training.

Results

There was a 32.1% and 24.8% increase in mean values of serum calcium and hand grip strength respectively and 22.7 % reduction in mean values of parathyroid hormone in moderate exercise training group (A). While there was a 15.1 % and 15 % increase in mean values of Serum Calcium and Hand grip strength respectively and 10.3 % reduction in mean values of parathyroid hormone in mild exercise training group(B). The mean values of serum calcium and hand grip strength were significantly increased, while the mean values of parathyroid hormone were significantly decreased in both groups . There were significant differences between mean levels of the investigated parameters in group (A) and group (B) after treatment.

Conclusion

Moderate intensity aerobic exercise training on treadmill is appropriate to improve markers of bone metabolism and hand grip strength in male patients with hemophilia A.     

Penetrating thorn in the heart complicated by infective endocarditis

A 3‐year‐old child presented with recurrent chest pain for 3 months, echocardiography showed a thorn inside the left ventricle, the patient was diagnosed with foreign body complicated with infective endocarditis and received proper treatment, and operation was performed after inflammatory reaction subsided.     

Fabrication and Characterization of Highly Efficient As-Synthesized WO3/Graphitic-C3N4 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Compounds

The incorporation of tungsten trioxide (WO₃) by various concentrations of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) was successfully studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Diffused Reflectance UV-Vis techniques were applied to investigate morphological and microstructure analysis, diffused reflectance optical properties, and photocatalysis measurements of WO₃/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst composite organic compounds. The photocatalytic activity of incorporating WO3 into g-C₃N₄ composite organic compounds was evaluated by the photodegradation of both Methylene Blue (MB) dye and phenol under visible-light irradiation. Due to the high purity of the studied heterojunction composite series, no observed diffraction peaks appeared when incorporating WO₃ into g-C₃N₄ composite organic compounds. The particle size of the prepared composite organic compound photocatalysts revealed no evident influence through the increase in WO₃ atoms from the SEM characteristic. The direct and indirect bandgap were recorded for different mole ratios of WO₃/g-C₃N_4, and indicated no apparent impact on bandgap energy with increasing WO₃ content in the composite photocatalyst. The composite photocatalysts’ properties better understand their photocatalytic activity degradations. The pseudo-first-order reaction constants (K) can be calculated by examining the kinetic photocatalytic activity.     

Digital quantification of fibrosis in liver biopsy sections: description of a new method by Photoshop software

BACKGROUND: The precise quantification of fibrous tissue in liver biopsy sections is extremely important in the classification, diagnosis and grading of chronic liver disease, as well as in evaluating the response to antifibrotic therapy. Because the recently described methods of digital image analysis of fibrosis in liver biopsy sections have major flaws, including the use of out-dated techniques in image processing, inadequate precision and inability to detect and quantify perisinusoidal fibrosis, we developed a new technique in computerized image analysis of liver biopsy sections based on Adobe Photoshop software. METHODS: We prepared an experimental model of liver fibrosis involving treatment of rats with oral CCl4 for 6 weeks. After staining liver sections with Masson's trichrome, a series of computer operations were performed including (i) reconstitution of seamless widefield images from a number of acquired fields of liver sections; (ii) image size and solution adjustment; (iii) color correction; (iv) digital selection of a specified color range representing all fibrous tissue in the image and; (v) extraction and calculation. RESULTS: This technique is fully computerized with no manual interference at any step, and thus could be very reliable for objectively quantifying any pattern of fibrosis in liver biopsy sections and in assessing the response to antifibrotic therapy. It could also be a valuable tool in the precise assessment of antifibrotic therapy to other tissue regardless of the pattern of tissue or fibrosis.     

Propolis alleviates aluminium-induced lipid peroxidation and biochemical parameters in male rats

Aluminium is present in many manufactured foods and medicines and is also added to drinking water during purification purposes. Therefore, the present experiment was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of propolis in alleviating the toxicity of aluminium chloride (AlCl₃) on biochemical parameters, antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation of male Wistar Albino rats. Animals were assigned to 1 of 4 groups: control; 34 mg AlCl₃/kg bw; 50 mg propolis/kg bw; AlCl₃ (34 mg/kg bw) plus propolis (50 mg/kg bw), respectively. Rats were orally administered their respective doses daily for 70 days. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was increased, and the activities of glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase were decreased in liver, kidney and brain of rats treated with AlCl₃. While, TBARS was decreased and the antioxidant enzymes were increased in rats treated with propolis alone. Plasma transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, urea, creatinine, bilirubin, total lipid, cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-c were increased, while total protein, albumin and high HDL-c were decreased due to AlCl₃ administration. The presence of propolis with AlCl₃ alleviated its toxic effects in rats treated with AlCl₃. It can be concluded that propolis has beneficial influences and could be able to antagonize AlCl₃ toxicity.