Endothelial function,regulation of angiogenesis and embryonic central hemodynamics in ART-conceived pregnancies

Abstract

This study was undertaken to compare the concentrations of pro- and anti-angiogenic growth factors, nitric oxide (NO) stable metabolites in maternal serum and embryonic left ventricular (LV) isovolumic relaxation time (IRT, ms) during the first trimester in two groups of women: with pregnancy conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART, n?=?39) and normally conceived (control group, n?=?68) pregnancy. The concentration of vasoconstrictor endothelin 1 was 45.5 times more in ART than in control group. On the contrary, the concentrations of NO stable metabolites in ART were 1.9 times less than in control women. The assessment of angiogenic suppressors in ART women demonstrates the decrease in s-endoglin concentration was 1.6 times and in soluble receptor to vascular endothelial growth factor concentration was 2.0 times in comparison with control group. There was a significant increase in LV IRT in ART embryos in comparison to control ones. These data suggest significant changes in pro- anti-angiogenic factors balance and increase in vascular impedance in ART-conceived embryos.     

Effect of Tropicamide on Laser Flare Meter Measurements in Patients with Pseudoexfoliation

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To investigate the effect of 1% tropicamide on anterior chamber aqueous flare (ACAF) measurements acquired with laser flare meter in patients with pseudoexfoliation.     

Psychosocial mechanisms of a behavioral treatment for urinary incontinence of prostate cancer survivors

Abstract

Purpose: We examined underlying psychosocial processes of a behavioral treatment for urinary incontinence (UI) of prostate cancer survivors.

Design: Secondary analysis of data collected from a clinical trial.

Sample: Two hundred forty-four prostate cancer survivors who participated in a clinical trial of behavioral intervention to UI as intervention or control subjects.

Methods: The participants had a 3-month behavioral intervention or usual care and were followed up for an additional 3?months. They were assessed at baseline, 3, and 6?months. Latent growth curve models were performed to examine trajectories of each study variable and relationships among the variables.

Findings: Increasing self-efficacy and social support were significantly and independently associated with more reduction of urinary leakage frequency over time.

Implications for psychosocial oncology: Providing problem-solving skills and social support, including peer support, are essential for empowering patients to reduce UI.     

Optimal SPECT processing and display: Making bad studies look good to get the right answer

Conclusion  Several quality-control measures take place before (patient and camera preparation) and during SPECT acquisition to achieve high-quality images. Not uncommonly, technologists and physicians are left with suboptimal images that have to be addressed to reach the “right answer” for patient diagnosis and hence management. In many cases patients may be reimaged, especially if the problem is detected early, but in other cases either the patient has left the nuclear laboratory or there is an inevitable problem that, even with reimaging, will not be resolved. In these situations the technologist and physician have to seek the available techniques to obtain the best images possible. These resources are discussed in this issue as an aid in quality control to obtain the best possible images.     

Long-term vardenafil therapy improves hemodynamics in patients with pulmonary hypertension.

The phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor, sildenafil, has been reported to produce sustained pulmonary vasodilatation in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Recently, vardenafil, a more potent and selective PDE-5 inhibitor than sildenafil, has been approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. However, the long-term effects of oral vardenafil in patients with PH are unknown. We studied five consecutive patients with PH; one with primary pulmonary hypertension, two with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism, one with Eisenmenger syndrome (ventricular septal defect) and one with secondary pulmonary hypertension after a ventricular septal defect closure operation. In an acute hemodynamic trial, vardenafil (5 mg) significantly decreased both the pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) with an increase in cardiac output. In a chronic hemodynamic trial, the maintenance dose of vardenafil (10 to 15 mg) for 3 months significantly decreased the PVR, but not the SVR, with a 20.7% reduction of the PVR/ SVR ratio. Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were also significantly decreased after 3 months. This pilot study demonstrates that long-term oral vardenafil therapy may be a safe and effective treatment for patients with PH.     

Zinc sulfate addition to glass-ionomer-based cements: influence on physical and antibacterial properties, zinc and fluoride release.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of ZnSO(4) addition to a conventional glass ionomer and a resin-modified glass ionomer on solubility, flexural strength, zinc and fluoride (F) release, and Streptococcus mutans growth inhibition. METHODS: 5 or 10% ZnSO(4) was added to Vitremer and Ketac-Fil powders. Solubility test was performed based on ISO 7489. Flexural strength was determined by 3-point bending test based on ISO 4049. Zn release/uptake was determined by atomic emission spectrometry; F release/uptake was measured using a F-specific electrode. Both release measurements were performed for 15 d before and 15 d after recharging. Antibacterial test was conducted according to agar plate methods against S. mutans, by measuring the inhibition halos in 1-h and 15-d specimens. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. RESULTS: Solubility increased with higher ZnSO(4) content, but remained below the ISO 7489 limit. Flexural strength was not affected by ZnSO(4) addition, and Vitremer performed better than Ketac-Fil. The control materials released no zinc. Vitremer with 10% ZnSO(4) released the highest amount of zinc. Fluoride release was similar for Ketac-Fil and Vitremer. In both cases, the highest amounts were released in the first 24 h. The growth inhibition halo of S. mutans was similar for both materials with highest content of ZnSO(4) and occurred only with 1-h specimens. SIGNIFICANCE: Zinc addition decreased microorganisms growth and improved fluoride release, without significantly affecting the materials' flexural strength and solubility.     

Penicillium piceum infection: diagnosis and successful treatment in chronic granulomatous disease.

Infections due to Penicillium species other than P.marneffei are rare. We identified a boy with X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) with a pulmonary nodule and adjacent rib osteomyelitis caused by Penicillium piceum. The only sign of infection was an elevated sedimentation rate. P. piceum was isolated by fine needle aspirate and from excised infected tissues. Surgical removal and one year of voriconazole treatment were very well tolerated and led to complete recovery. Microbiological, microscopic and molecular studies support the fungal diagnosis. P. piceum should be considered as a relevant pathogen in immunocompromised patients.     

High-resolution optical coherence tomography as a non-destructive monitoring tool for the engineering of skin equivalents

BACKGROUND: Three dimensional skin equivalents are widely used in dermatopharmacological and toxicological studies and as autologous transplants in wound healing. In pharmacology, there is tremendous need for monitoring the response of engineered skin equivalents to external treatment. Transplantation of skin equivalents for wound healing requires careful verification of their quality prior to transplantation. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-contact, non-destructive imaging technique for living tissues offering the potential to fulfill these needs. This work presents an analysis of OCT for high-resolution monitoring of skin equivalents at different stages during the culture process. METHODS: We developed a high-resolution OCT imaging setup based on a commercially available OCT system. A broadband femtosecond laser light source replaces the original superluminescence diode. Tomograms of living skin equivalents were recorded with an axial resolution of 3 mum and correlated with histology and immunofluorescence images. Comparison with standard low-resolution OCT is presented to emphasize the advantages of high-resolution OCT for this application. RESULTS: OCT is particularly able to distinguish between different layers of skin equivalents including stratum corneum, epidermal and dermal layer as well as the basement membrane zone. The high-resolution OCT scans correlate closely with two key benchmarks, histology and immunofluorescence imaging. CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly demonstrates the benefits of high-resolution OCT for identifying living tissue structure and morphology. Compared with the current gold standard histology, OCT offers non-destructive tissue imaging, enabling high-resolution evaluation of living tissue morphology and structure as it evolves.     

Prognostic factors for surgical resection in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Although surgical lung resection could improve prognosis in some patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), there are no reports on the optimal candidates for this surgery. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the prognostic factors for surgery in patients with MDR-TB. Patients who underwent lung resection for the treatment of MDR-TB between March 1993 and December 2004 were included in the present study. Treatment failure was defined as greater than or equal to two of the five cultures recorded in the final 12 months of treatment being positive, any one of the final three cultures being positive, or the patient having died during treatment. The variables that affected treatment outcomes were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. In total, 79 patients with MDR-TB were included in the present study. The treatment outcomes of 22 (27.8%) patients were classified as failure. A body mass index <18.5 kg x m(-2), primary resistance, resistance to ofloxacin and the presence of a cavitary lesion beyond the range of the surgical resection were associated with treatment failure. Low body mass index, primary resistance, resistance to ofloxacin and cavitary lesions beyond the range of resection are possible poor prognostic factors for surgical lung resection in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients.