Buerger’s disease-like arteritis associated with Crohn’s disease. A case of ‘vas-colitis’?

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are classified as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) [1]. Crohn’s disease is characterized by the involvement of the intestinal wall, which leads to the formation of ulcers, fistulas and strictures of the intestine. The disease is more frequently found among Caucasians. Parenteral manifestations are possible in the course of IBD, including osteoarticular and ocular manifestations, affecting the skin or the blood vessels. Only a few cases of the coexistence of Takayasu’s disease and IBD have been reported so far [2–5]. Takayasu’s disease is a chronic inflammation of the large-diameter vessels, which was described for the first time nearly two hundred years ago [6]. The incidence of Takayasu’s disease in the U.S. is estimated at about 2.6 cases per million. This condition, in contrast to IBD, is most common among young women of the Asian origin [7]. In this paper we discuss the case of the co-existence of Crohn’s disease and vasculitis, with symptoms and some angiographic features similar to Buerger’s disease, that was classified as vasculitis associated with systemic disease. So far, the available literature lacks descriptions of similar cases of Crohn’s disease associated with vasculitis mimicking Buerger’s disease

Magnetism in Au-Supported Planar Silicene

The adsorption and substitution of transition metal atoms (Fe and Co) on Au-supported planar silicene have been studied by means of first-principles density functional theory calculations. The structural, energetic and magnetic properties have been analyzed. Both dopants favor the same atomic configurations with rather strong binding energies and noticeable charge transfer. The adsorption of Fe and Co atoms do not alter the magnetic properties of Au-supported planar silicene, unless a full layer of adsorbate is completed. In the case of substituted system only Fe is able to produce magnetic ground state. The Fe-doped Au-supported planar silicene is a ferromagnetic structure with local antiferromagnetic ordering. The present study is the very first and promising attempt towards ferromagnetic epitaxial planar silicene and points to the importance of the substrate in structural and magnetic properties of silicene

Clinical Characteristics of Hypertensive Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome Developing Different Types of Left Ventricular Geometry

Objective. The objective of the study was to compare polygraphic parameters and selected laboratory parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) who develop various types of left ventricular (LV) geometry. Material and Methods. The research covered 122 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and coexisting effectively treated systemic hypertension (95 men, 27 women, average age: 54±10.63). Overnight polygraphy, echocardiography, carotid artery ultrasonography, and laboratory measurements were performed. The patients were classified into four groups, depending on LV geometry. Group 1 comprised patients with normal LV geometry, group 2 included those with LV concentric remodelling. Group 3 and group 4 were patients with LV hypertrophy, concentric or eccentric, respectively. Results. The most frequent type of LV geometry in the examined population was eccentric hypertrophy (36%). The highest average values of BMI and T-Ch were observed in the group of patients with concentric remodelling (group 2). The most severe respiratory disorders were found in the group of patients developing LV concentric hypertrophy (group 3); however, these differences were not statistically significant in comparison to other groups. Patients with LV eccentric hypertrophy had significantly decreased LV ejection fraction (p=0.0008). Conclusions. LV eccentric hypertrophy is the most frequent type of LV geometry in OSA patients. Patients with severe sleep-disordered breathing are more likely to develop concentric hypertrophy, while concentric remodelling occurs more frequently among OSA patients with other coexisting conditions, such as obesity or lipid-related disorders

Characterization of fluorescein-based monoboronate probe and its application to the detection of peroxynitrite in endothelial cells treated with doxorubicin

Boronate probes have emerged recently as a versatile tool for the detection of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Here, we present the characterization of a fluorescein-based monoboronate probe, a 4-(pinacol boronate)benzyl derivative of fluorescein methyl ester (FBBE), that proved to be useful to detect peroxynitrite in cell culture experiments. The reactivity of FBBE toward peroxynitrite as well hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and tyrosyl hydroperoxide was determined. Second-order rate constants of the reactions of FBBE with peroxynitrite, HOCl, and H2O2 at pH 7.4 were equal to (2.8 ± 0.2) × 105 M-1 s-1, (8.6 ± 0.5) × 103 M-1 s-1, and (0.96 ± 0.03) M-1 s-1, respectively. The presence of glutathione completely blocked the oxidation of the probe by HOCl and significantly inhibited its oxidation by H2O2 and tyrosyl hydroperoxide but not by peroxynitrite. The oxidative conversion of the probe was also studied in the systems generating singlet oxygen, superoxide radical anion, and nitric oxide in the presence and absence of glutathione. Spectroscopic characterization of FBBE and its oxidation product has been also performed. The differences in the reactivity pattern were supported by DFT quantum mechanical calculations. Finally, the FBBE probe was used to study the oxidative stress in endothelial cells (Ea.hy926) incubated with doxorubicin, a quinone anthracycline antibiotic. In endothelial cells pretreated with doxorubicin, FBBE was oxidized, and this effect was reversed by PEG-SOD and L-NAME but not by catalase

Analysis of Outcomes in Ischemic vs Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation A Report From the GARFIELD-AF Registry

IMPORTANCE Congestive heart failure (CHF) is commonly associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and their combination may affect treatment strategies and outcomes