Relationship between children physical activity,inflammatory mediators and lymphocyte activation: possible impact of social isolation (COVID-19)

Sport Sciences for Health - Lifestyle and body composition may be simultaneously responsible for immune response modulation. This study aimed to compare plasmatic adipokines concentration and...     

Duplex Doppler penile ultrasound

Duplex Doppler penile ultrasound (DDPU) is a useful, minimally invasive method for evaluating penile hemodynamics in patients with erectile dysfunction. The measurement of peak flow velocity, end-diastolic flow, and resistance index is helpful in assessment of the penile vascular status, especially in patients who do not respond to oral therapy, patients with priapism, and patients with penile pathology. Since the advent of oral therapy, the routine use of DDPU is limited to certain cases.     

Increased epicardial adipose tissue in type 1 diabetes is associated with central obesity and metabolic syndrome

Aims

The present study evaluated the relationship between metabolic syndrome (MS), body fat composition and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) in type 1 diabetes. Epicardial adipose tissue is a new independent marker of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

Forty-five type 1 diabetic women were evaluated (age 36 ± 9 years; body mass index 24.6 ± 4.4 kg/m²). Metabolic syndrome was defined by the World Health Organization criteria. Body fat composition and EAT were analyzed by dual-energy-X-ray absorptiometry and echocardiogram, respectively.

Results

Twenty patients (45%) had MS. Patients with MS had greater android (central) fat deposition than patients without MS (41.9 ± 2.0% vs. 33.7 ± 1.8%, p = 0.004). Total body fat and gynoid (peripheric) fat distribution were similar between the groups. Mean EAT was higher in patients with MS (6.15 ± 0.34 mm vs. 4.96 ± 0.25 mm; p = 0.006) and EAT was positively correlated with android (central) fat distribution (r = 0.44; p = 0.002), however no correlation was found with gynoid (peripheric) fat distribution.

Conclusions

There was a high incidence of MS in type 1 diabetes related to increased central adiposity, despite the absence of obesity. Metabolic syndrome and central obesity were associated with increased EAT. Thus, young non-obese type 1 diabetic women with central adiposity and/or MS may have increased EAT, what may predict CAD risk.     

On the crucial ventilatory setting adjustment from two- to one-lung ventilation

Lung mechanics, histology, oxygenation and type-III procollagen (PCIII) mRNA were studied aiming to evaluate the need to readjust ventilatory pattern when going from two- to one-lung ventilation (OLV). Wistar rats were assigned to three groups: the left lung was not ventilated while the right lung received: (1) tidal volume (V(T))=5 ml/kg and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)=2 cm H(2)O (V5P2), (2) V(T)=10 ml/kg and PEEP=2 cm H(2)O (V10P2), and (3) V(T)=5 ml/kg and PEEP=5 cm H(2)O (V5P5). At 1-h ventilation, V5P2 showed hypoxemia, alveolar collapse and impaired lung function. Higher PEEP minimized these changes and prevented hypoxemia. Although high V(T) prevented hypoxemia and maintained a higher specific compliance than V5P2, a morphologically inhomogeneous parenchyma and higher PCIII expression resulted. In conclusion, the association of low V(T) and an adequate PEEP level could be useful to maintain arterial oxygenation without inducing a possible inflammatory/remodeling response.     

Small differentiated thyroid cancer: Time to reconsider clinical management and treatment

The incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is increasing worldwide, especially among small (≤2 cm) tumors. Overall, small DTC have an excellent prognosis and low mortality rate. Still, a proportion of these patients will experience recurrent/persistent disease. Careful risk stratification makes it possible to individualize treatment, avoiding unnecessary procedures and guarantees a good long-term prognosis with low recurrence risk. Recent studies evaluated the impact of the extent of surgery and radioiodine therapy, providing new evidence regarding treatment approach. Therefore, is time to reconsider clinical management and treatment of small DTC. Based on current data, in patients with small tumors and no additional risk factors, a conservative surgical approach without radioiodine therapy might be appropriated. More extensive surgery and radioiodine therapy could be proposed for small tumors exhibiting more aggressive features, such as lymph node metastasis, multifocality, vascular involvement, extra-thyroidal invasion or unfavorable molecular biology.     

Bone repair with raloxifene and bioglass nanoceramic composite in animal experiment

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study proposes to evaluate, by means of microtomographic analysis, the topical potential of raloxifene combined with BioGran® through the sonochemical method in the repair of critical bone defects in the calvaria of rats. The hypothesis was that the homogenization of Raloxifene to Biogran at the 20% concentration would improve the bone repair at the grafted site.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 5-mm calvaria bone defect was induced in three groups: CTR (100% BioGran®); RAL10 (90% BioGran® and 10% raloxifene), and RAL20 (80% BioGran® and 20% raloxifene). The animals were euthanized after 30 days and the microCT analysis was then performed to evaluate the parameters bone volume (BV), bone volume percentage (BV/TV), trabecular bone thickness (Tb.Th), and the separation and number of trabeculae (Tb.Sp and Tb.N). The obtained results were compared using ANOVA and Tukey test (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: The best results were found for the CTR and RAL20 groups, in which the BV, BV/TV, Tb.Sp, and Tb.N parameters were statistically significant in comparison with RAL10 (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: In view of the results obtained in this experiment, we can conclude that BioGran® alone or in an 80/20 mass concentration with raloxifene can lead to favorable bone formation.     

Scientific evidence on the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in oral and maxillofacial surgery

Purpose

This study aimed to identify the main indications for the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) for bone repair and maintenance in the maxilla and mandible through a review of clinical trials evaluating the viability of using rhBMP-2 to delay the installation of dental implants, thus allowing satisfactory bone formation and long-term osseointegration.

Methods

Literature search of the PubMed/Medline databases was performed using the following MeSH index terms—“bone morphogenetic protein 2” and “dentistry”. Only clinical trials necessarily published in English, related to dentistry, and focused on bone reconstruction in critical defects, post-extraction alveoli, increasing the atrophic alveolar ridge, or surgery for maxillary sinus elevation were included, regardless of the age, sex, ethnicity, associated morbidities, or period of publication.

Results

Of the 17 studies identified based on the search filters, 2 were excluded. Therefore, 15 studies were finally included in this review.

Conclusions

Based on the results of our review, we concluded that the use of rhBMP-2 for the preservation of the alveolar ridge after tooth extraction or for increasing the local defects is safe and viable. The use of rhBMP-2/Bio-Oss® for the elevation of the maxillary sinus membrane is unnecessary; however, it can improve and accelerate the maturation process in cases of guided bone regeneration in peri-implant defects. Compounds comprising rhBMP-2, allogenic bone, and plasma-rich platelet (PRP) can act as autograft substitutes in mandibular critical defects.

     

Nosocomial infections in a children's hospital in Argentina: impact of a unique infection control intervention program.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of parental education and use of parents as nursing assistants on reducing nosocomial infections. DESIGN: Prospective study. METHODS: Active surveillance for nosocomial infections was performed on two wards. On ward A, parents were educated about infection control practices and assisted nursing staff with routine tasks, so that nursing personnel could focus their efforts on procedures with higher risk of infection. Parental assistance was not sought on ward B, the comparison ward. RESULTS: From October 1990 through September 1991, 1,081 patients were admitted to wards A (470) or B (611). The over-all nosocomial infection rate was 7.1 per 100 admissions; the nosocomial infection rate was significantly higher on ward B than ward A (63/611 vs 14/470; P<.001). Multivariate analysis identified risk factors for nosocomial infection on the two wards as age <2 years (P=.01), malnutrition (P=.005), duration of hospitalization (P<.001), ward B hospitalization (P=.003), and ward cleanliness score (P=.009); the distribution of patients with these factors was similar on the two wards. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that parental infection control education and recruitment to relieve nursing staff of routine low-risk procedures are economical and easily implemented measures to reduce nosocomial infections in hospitals with limited personnel resources in the developing world.