Frequency of microalbuminuria in non-renal diseases

Cilj: Utvrđivanje učestalosti mikroalbuminurije (MA) kod bolesnika s koronarnom bolesti srca (KBS), arterijskom hipertenzijom (AH), hiperkolesterolemijom (HK) i metaboličkim sindromom (MS). Metode: Analizirani su bolesnici hospitalizirani u koronarnoj jedinici i na kardiologiji Opće bolnice u Karlovcu u periodu od 1. do 9. mjeseca 2009. godine. Analizirane su četiri nerenalne bolesti: KBS, AH, HK i MS. Bilo je 176 bolesnika; 120 bolesnika nije imalo MA, a 56 bolesnika je imalo MA. Muškaraca je bilo 122 (69 %), a žena 54 (31 %). Ukupni raspon dobi bolesnika bio je od 36 do 84 godine, a prosječna dob bila je 62.8 godina. Rezultati: Kod MS je učestalost MA statistički značajna prema KBS (45,5 vs 31,0 %; Z = 1,831; p < 0,05) i HK (45,5 vs 28,4 %; Z = 1,919; p < 0,05), ali nije značajna prema AH (45,5 vs 35,9 %; Z = 1,13; n.s.). Zaključak: Značajno veću učestalost MA imaju bolesnici s MS, dok kod bolesnika s AH, KBS i HK nema razlike.Aim: To determine microalbuminuria (MA) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), arterial hypertension (AH), hypercholesterolemia (HC) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: The patients who were hospitalized in the coronary unit and at the Department of cardiology of the General hospital in Karlovac from January till September 2009 were studied. The study comprised four non-renal diseases: CHD, AH, HC and MS. There were 176 patients in total, out of which 120 patients had no MA and 56 patients had MA. The study comprised 122 male patients (69 %) and 54 female patients (31 %). The total age range of the patients was from 36 to 84 years of age. The average age was 62.8. Results: In the case of MS the occurrence of MA was statistically significant to CHD (45,5 vs 31,0 %; Z=1,831; p<0,05) and HC (45,5 vs 28,4 %; Z=1,919; p<0,05), but was not statistically significant to AH (45,5 vs 35,9 %; Z=1,13; n.s.). Conclusion: Patients with MS have a significantly greater frequency of MA. However, in patients with AH, CHD and HC there is no difference

The influence of ischaemia and hypertensive reaction in ergometry test on the frequency of ventricular premature beats

Cilj rada. Utvrditi utjecaj pozitivnog testa koronarne rezerve (TKR) i hipertenzivne reakcije na pojavu VES-ova u testu opterećenja. Metode. U ovom ispitivanju su sudjelovali ispitanici testirani u ergometrijskom laboratoriju OB Karlovac u razdoblju od prosinca 2009. godine do svibnja 2010. godine. Kriterij za uključivanje u istraživanje bio je uzimanje beta blokatora. Isključujući kriteriji su bili kardiomiopatija, hipertrofija lijeve klijetke, generalizirana ateroskleroza, hiperkalijemija, hipertireoza i terapija digitalisom, bronhodilatatorima i ostalim antiaritmicima. Ispitanici su bili u rasponu od 18-80 godina. Rezultati. U normotenzivnoj reakciji nema razlike učestalosti između negativnog i pozitivnog TKR-a kod bolesnika bez i s VES-ovima (Z = -0,228; p = n.s.). U hipertenzivnoj reakciji je učestalost bolesnika s pozitivnim TKR-om veća kod bolesnika s VES-ovima, nego kod onih bez VES-ova (Z = 2,043, p < 0,05). Zaključak. Pozitivan TKR u ergometrijskom testu, u kombinaciji s hipertenzivnom reakcijom, više povećava učestalost VES-ova, nego u kombinaciji s normotenzivnom reakcijom.Aim. To determine the influence of positive test of coronary reserve (TCR) and hypertensive reaction on the occcurrence of ventricular premature beats (VPBs) in ergometry test. Methods. This study was carried out in the laboratory of ergometry in Karlovac General Hospital from December 2009 to May 2010. The research criteria was the use of beta blockers. Exclusive criteria were cardiomyopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy, general aterosclerosis, hyperkaliaemia, hyperthyreosis and the use of digitalotherapy, bronchodilatators and other antiarrhythmic drugs. The age range of the patients was from 18 to 80 years of age. Results. In the normotensive reaction there is no difference of incidence between negative and positive TCR in patients without and with VPBs (Z = -0.228; p = n.s.). In hypertensive reaction, the incidence of patients with positive TCR is bigger in VPBs patients than in patients without VPBs (Z = 2.043, p < 0.05). Conclusion. Positive TCR in the ergometry test combined with hypertensive reaction increases the incidence of VPBs more than in the combination with normotensive reaction

Neural stem cells from mouse strain Thy1 YFP-16 are a valuable tool to monitor and evaluate neuronal differentiation and morphology

To analyse events following transplantation of stem cells in the brain robust tools for tracing stem cells are required. Here we took advantage of the mouse strain B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-YFP)16Jrs/J (Thy1 YFP-16), where yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is under control of the promoter of Thy1 gene. This allows visualising whole neurons, i.e. their cell body, axons and dendrites. In this work fluorescent cells were followed during embryonic development, in vitro differentiation, and after transplantation in the healthy and stroke-affected mouse brain. During embryonic development Thy1-YFP positive cells were first observed on E12.5 and subsequently located in the prosencephalon, rhombencephalon, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Quantitative analysis by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry revealed that Thy1-YFP positive cells during embryo development and in vitro differentiation were expressing nestin and SOX2 then MAP2, β3-tubulin and NeuN. Thy1-YFP positive cells isolated from E14.5 represented 21.88±053% (SD) of the cultivated neurons and this remained constant along in vitro differentiation. On the other hand, proportion of Thy1-YFP positive cells reached 50% of neurons in perinatal and one month old mouse brain. Neural stem cells isolated from Thy1 YFP-16 mouse strain transplanted near hippocampus of the healthy and stroke-affected brain were distinguishable by YFP fluorescence. They differentiated into mature neurons and were detectable even 14 weeks after transplantation, the end point of our experiment. In conclusion, stem cells originating from Thy1 YFP-16 mice represent an outstanding tool to monitor neurogenesis enabling morphological analyses of new neurons and their projections, in particular after transplantation in the brain

Stroke promotes survival of nearby transplanted neural stem cells by decreasing their activation of caspase 3 while not affecting their differentiation

Although transplantation of stem cells improves recovery of the nervous tissue, little is known about the influence of different brain regions on transplanted cells. After we confirmed that cells with uniform differentiation potential can be generated in independent experiments, one million of neural stem cells isolated from B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-YFP)16Jrs/J mouse embryos were transplanted into the brain 24 h after induction of stroke. The lateral ventricles, the corpus callosum and the striatum were tested. Two and four weeks after the transplantation, the cells transplanted in all three regions have been attracted to the ischemic core. The largest number of attracted cells has been observed after transplantation into the striatum. Their differentiation pattern and expression of neuroligin 1, SynCAM 1, postsynaptic density protein 95 and synapsin 1 followed the same pattern observed during in vitro cultivation and it did not differ among the tested regions. Differentiation pattern of the cells transplanted in the stroke-affected and healthy animals was the same. On the other hand, neural stem cells transplanted in the striatum of the animals affected by stroke exhibited significantly increased survival rates reaching 260 ± 19%, when compared to cells transplanted in their wild type controls. Surprisingly, improved survival two and four weeks after transplantation was not due to increased proliferation of the grafted cells and it was accompanied by decreased levels of activity of Casp3 (19.56 ± 3.1% in the stroke-affected vs. 30.14 ± 2.4% in healthy animals after four weeks). We assume that the decreased levels of Casp3 in cells transplanted near the ischemic region was linked to increased vasculogenesis, synaptogenesis, astrocytosis and axonogenesis detected in the host tissue affected by ischemia

Possible Prognostic Significance of P53 and Ki 67 in Inverted Sinonasal Papilloma

The aim of this study is to test the possible prognostic significance of p53 and Ki67 expression in inverted papilloma of the lateral nasal wall and adjacent sinuses regarding their malignant potential and recurrence. 49 biopsies of the lateral nasal wall and adjacent sinuses obtained from 41 patients from three hospitals were investigated. Immunohistochemically demonstrated p53 and Ki67 expression was measured and statistically valuated. p53 immunoreactivity was demonstrated in most of papillomas with carcinomas but only in two benign papillomas, while Ki67 demonstrated stronger immunoreactivity in carcinomas and surrounding epithelium. Immunohistochemical staining of inverted sinonasal papillomas for p53 and Ki67 can give useful information concerning the existence of synchronous carcinoma and, in case of high Ki67, a hint toward possible recurrence

Possible Prognostic Significance of P53 and Ki 67 in Inverted Sinonasal Papilloma

The aim of this study is to test the possible prognostic significance of p53 and Ki67 expression in inverted papilloma of the lateral nasal wall and adjacent sinuses regarding their malignant potential and recurrence. 49 biopsies of the lateral nasal wall and adjacent sinuses obtained from 41 patients from three hospitals were investigated. Immunohistochemically demonstrated p53 and Ki67 expression was measured and statistically valuated. p53 immunoreactivity was demonstrated in most of papillomas with carcinomas but only in two benign papillomas, while Ki67 demonstrated stronger immunoreactivity in carcinomas and surrounding epithelium. Immunohistochemical staining of inverted sinonasal papillomas for p53 and Ki67 can give useful information concerning the existence of synchronous carcinoma and, in case of high Ki67, a hint toward possible recurrence

Increased expression and colocalization of GAP43 and CASP3 after brain ischemic lesion in mouse

GAP43 is a protein involved in neurite outgrowth during development and axon regeneration reflecting its presynaptic localization in developing neurons. Recently, it has been demonstrated that GAP43 is a ligand of CASP3 involved in receptor endocytosis and is also localized post-synaptically. In this study, by using a transgenic mouse strain carrying a bioluminescent reporter for GAP43 combined with an in vivo bioluminescence assay for CASP3, we demonstrated that one day after brain ischemic lesion and, even more pronounced, four days after stroke, expression of both CASP3 and Gap43 in neurons increased more than 40 times. The in vivo approach of CASP3 and GAP43 colocalization imaging was further validated and quantified by immunofluorescence. Importantly, in 82% of GAP43 positive cells, colocalization with CASP3 was present. These findings suggested that one and four days after stroke CASP3 expression, not necessarily associated with neuronal death, increased and suggested that CASP3 and GAP43 might be part of a common molecular pathway involved in early response to ischemic events occurring after onset of stroke

Transplantation of neural stem cells in the mouse model of ischemic brain stroke and expression of genes involved in programmed cell death

Aim: To analyze how neural stem cells (NSC) transplantation in the stroke-affected mouse brain influences the expression of genes involved in apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated cell death – apoptosis inducing factor mitochondria associated 1 (Aifm1), ring finger protein 146 (Rnf146, Iduna), and cyclophilin A (CypA); necroptosis –receptor interaction protein kinase 1 (Ripk1), Ripk3, and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein (Mlkl); and apoptosis – Caspase 3 (Casp3) and Casp8. Methods: Four groups of animals were used to obtain mRNA for quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis: healthy animals (n = 3), animals with stroke (n = 4), animals with stroke treated by stem cell transplantation (n = 7), and animals with stroke treated by proliferation-supporting medium (n = 5). Ischemic brain injury was induced by transient left middle cerebral artery occlusion. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance with post-hoc Tukey test. Results: NSC transplantation in the stroke-affected mouse brain significantly increased the expression of Iduna (P < 0.05), a gene-encoding protein with well-known protective effects on hypoxic damage, and significantly down-regulated the expression of damage-supportive genes, Casp3 (P < .01) and Aifm1 (P < 0.001). We were able to distinguish between the effect produced by stem cell transplantation (Iduna, Aifm1, Ripk3, Mlkl) and the effect produced by supporting the tissue with proliferation-supporting medium (Ripk1, Casp8). Conclusion: Beside revealing some clearly positive effects of stem cells transplantation on the stroke-affected brain, our results suggest that the tissue response triggered by stem cells points toward the desired, regeneration-supporting levels of expression of a certain gene at a certain time point