Coexistence of Parry-Romberg syndrome with homolateral segmental vitiligo

Parry-Romberg syndrome or progressive facial hemiatrophy was first described by Caleb Parry in 1825 and Moritz Romberg in 1846. This disorder is characterized by slowly progressing acquired unilateral hemifacial atrophy, which affects subcutaneous tissue together with the muscles and underlying bones. The pathogenesis and precise incidence of the syndrome remain unclear. Immune-mediated processes and disturbed central regulation, leading to the hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, are primarily considered in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Parry-Romberg syndrome and localized scleroderma are considered to be interrelated as both of them have a similar clinicopathological appearance. We report the case of a 46-year-old man affected by both progressive atrophy of the left side of the face and homolateral, segmental vitiligo in the left side of the trunk and face

Combined Nanofiltration and Thermocatalysis for the Simultaneous Degradation of Micropollutants, Fouling Mitigation and Water Purification

Due to progressive limitation of access to clean drinkable water, it is nowadays a priority to find an effective method of water purification from those emerging organic contaminants, which might have potentially harmful and irreversible effects on living organisms and environment. This manuscript reports the development of a new strategy for water purification, which combines a novel and recently developed Al2O3-doped silica nanofiltration membrane with a thermocatalytic perovskite, namely cerium-doped strontium ferrate (CSF). The thermocatalytic activity of CSF offers the opportunity to degrade organic pollutants with no light and without input of chemical oxidants, providing simplicity of operation. Moreover, our studies on real samples of secondary effluent from wastewater treatment showed that the thermocatalyst has the ability to degrade also part of the non-toxic organic matter, which allows for reducing the chemical oxygen demand of the retentate and mitigating membrane fouling during filtration. Therefore, the new technology is effective in the production of clean feed and permeate and has a potential to be used in degradation of micropollutants in water treatment

Articulation disorders and duration, severity and l-dopa dosage in idiopathic Parkinson's disease

Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). It is frequently heralded by speech disturbances, which are one of its first symptoms. Aim The aim of this paper is to share our own experience concerning the correlation between the severity of speech disorders and the PD duration, its severity and the intake of l-dopa. Material and methods The research included 93 patients with idiopathic PD, aged 26–86 years (mean age 65.1 years). Participants were examined neurologically according to the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Hoehn and Yahr Scale. They were also assessed by Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment. Results Considerable and severe disorders were concurrent with impairments in the mobility of the tongue, lips, the jaw as well as the pitch and loudness of the voice. The strongest correlation but at a moderate level was found to exist between the severity of labial impairment, voice loudness and the length of the disease. There was also a positive correlation between lip movement while the motions were being diversified, lip arrangement while speaking and the intake of l-dopa. Conclusions As PD progresses a significant decline in vocal articulation can be observed, which is due to reduced mobility within the lips and the jaw. Exacerbation of articulation disorders resulting from progression of the disease does not materially influence the UPDRSS scores. l-dopa has been found to positively affect the mobility of the lips while the patient is speaking and their arrangement at rest

Collagen-binding Agent Compositions And Methods Of Using The Same

The invention generally relates to collagen-binding agent compositions and methods of using the same. More specifically, the invention relates in part to new collagen-binding agent compositions and methods that may be used to treat damaged collagen within tissues or used to specifically target therapeutics to tissues containing undamaged or damaged collagen

Collagen-binding Agent Compositions And Methods Of Using The Same

The invention generally relates to collagen-binding agent compositions and methods of using the same. More specifically, the invention relates in part to new collagen-binding agent compositions and methods that may be used to treat damaged collagen within tissues or used to specifically target therapeutics to tissues containing undamaged or damaged collagen

Czy osteoprotegeryna jest potencjalnym czynnikiem hamującym ubytek masy kostnej otyłych kobiet w wieku okołomenopauzalnym?

Introduction: Assessment of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentrations in obese patients in comparison to healthy controls and evaluation of a possible correlation between OPG and other markers of bone turnover or calcitropic hormones. Material and methods: 50 obese perimenopausal women without concomitant diseases (BMI 36.7 ± 4.1 kg/m², mean age 50.4 ± 4.9 yrs). The control group consisted of 19 healthy women (BMI 24.2 ± 2.1 kg/m²; mean age 53.8 ± 5.1 yrs). In all patients serum concentration of OPG, C telopeptide of type I collagen containing the crosslinking site (CTX), osteocalcin, parathormone (PTH) and vitamin D (25-OH-D3) was assessed. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (the DXA method) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck was performed using a Lunar DPXL to measure bone marrow density (BMD). Results: In obese perimenopausal women serum OPG, osteocalcin and 25-OH-D3 levels were significantly lower, and the serum PTH level was significantly higher in comparison to healthy controls. A significantly positive correlation was found between serum OPG level and age in both obese and control subjects. Conclusion: The serum OPG level in obese perimenopausal women is significantly lower in comparison to healthy controls and does not correlate significantly with biochemical markers of bone turnover, calcitropic hormones and BMD. It probably cannot play a protective role in the pathogenesis of bone loss in obese perimenopausal women.Wstęp: Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena stężenia osteoprotegeryny (OPG) w surowicy otyłych pacjentek w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną oraz próba wykazania ewentualnych powiązań osteoprotegeryny ze wskaźnikami obrotu kostnego oraz hormonami kalcitropowymi. Materiał i metody: 50 kobiet w wieku okołomenopauzalnym z otyłością prostą bez chorób towarzyszących (BMI 36,7 ± 4,1 kg/m², wiek 50,4 ± 4,9 roku). Grupę kontrolną stanowiło 19 zdrowych kobiet (BMI 24,2 ± 2,1 kg/m²; wiek 53,8 ± 5,1 lat). U wszystkich badanych oznaczono w surowicy stężenia OPG, C-końcowego usieciowanego telopeptydu kolagenu typu I (CTX), osteokalcyny, parathormonu (PTH) oraz 25-OH-D3. Badanie gęstości mineralnej kości (BMD, bone mineral density) w obrębie odcinka lędźwiowego kręgosłupa oraz szyjki kości udowej wykonano metodą absorpcjometrii podwójnej energii promieniowania rentgenowskiego (DXA, Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) przy użyciu aparatu Lunar DPXL. Wyniki: W grupie otyłych chorych obserwowano znamiennie niższe stężenie OPG, osteokalcyny i 25-OH-D3 oraz znamiennie wyższe stężenie PTH w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną. Zarówno w grupie badanej, jak i w grupie kontrolnej zaobserwowano dodatnią korelację pomiędzy stężeniem OPG a wiekiem pacjentek. Wnioski: U otyłych kobiet w wieku okołomenopauzalnym stężenie osteoprotegeryny w surowicy krwi jest znamiennie niższe w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną i nie koreluje ze wskaźnikami obrotu kostnego, hormonami kalcitropowymi ani z BMD. Osteoprotegeryna prawdopodobnie nie spełnia funkcji ochronnej w patogenezie ubytku masy kostnej u otyłych kobiet w wieku okołomenopauzalnym

Ghrelin as a potential blood pressure reducing factor in obese women during weight loss treatment

Wstęp: W modelach zwierzęcych grelina powoduje zmniejszenie obciążenia następczego serca i zwiększenie rzutu serca poprzez wpływ na receptory znajdujące się w układzie sercowo-naczyniowym. Celem badania było określenie zależności między redukcją masy ciała, ciśnieniem tętniczym a stężeniem greliny w surowicy u kobiet z otyłoscią. Materiał i metody: Badaniem objęto 37 otyłych kobiet (wskaźnik masy ciała [BMI, body mass index] 36,5 &#177; 5 kg/m2) bez nadciśnienia tętniczego w wywiadzie. Ciśnienie tętnicze i stężenie greliny w surowicy oznaczono przed i po 3-miesiecznej kuracji odchudzającej, która obejmowała dietę 1000 kcal/d. i ćwiczenia fizyczne. Skład ciała określono metodą analizy impedancji z użyciem aparatu Bodystat. Wyniki: W następstwie redukcji masy ciała (średnio 8,9 &#177; 4,8 kg) nastąpiło istotne obniżenie SBP (120 &#177; 13 vs. 115 &#177; 14 mm Hg, p = 0,01) i zwiększenie stężenia greliny w surowicy (66,9 &#177; 13,7 vs. 73,9 &#177; 15,4 pg/ml; p = 0,005). Stwierdzono istotne korelacje między stężeniami greliny po redukcji masy ciała a SBP (r = -0,45, p = 0,02) i DBP (r = -0,41, p = 0,05) oraz między Dstężeń greliny a DSBP (r = 0,52, p = 0,006), DDBP (r = 0,53, p = 0,005). Wykazano dodatnią korelację między wzrostem stężenia greliny a zmniejszeniem procentowej zawartości tłuszczu w organizmie pod wpływem terapii odchudzającej (r = 0,51, p = 0,002). Wnioski: Wyniki badania dowodzą, że zmniejszenie masy ciała może spowodować obniżenie ciśnienia tętniczego u osób otyłych przez mechanizm zależny od greliny.Background: In animal models ghrelin reduces cardiac afterload and increases cardiac output via receptors in the cardiovascular system. The aim of our study was to evaluate a potential relationship between weight loss treatment, blood pressure and serum ghrelin concentrations in obese women. Material and methods: A group of 37 obese premenopausal women with no previous history of hypertension (BMI: 36.5 &#177; 5 kg/m2) were involved in the study. Blood pressure and serum ghrelin levels were assessed before and after a three-month weight reduction treatment, which consisted of a diet of 1000 kcal/day and physical exercise. Body composition was determined by impedance analysis using Bodystat. Results: Following weight loss (mean 8.9 &#177; 4.8 kg) SBP decreased (120 &#177; 13 vs. 115 &#177; 14 mm Hg, p = 0.01) and serum ghrelin levels increased significantly (66.9 &#177; 13.7 vs. 73.9 &#177; 15.4 pg/ml; p = 0.005). There were significant correlations between values for ghrelin levels after weight loss and SBP (r = -0.45, p = 0.02), DBP (r = -0.41, p < 0.05), and between Dghrelin levels and DSBP (r = 0.52, p = 0.006), DDBP (r = 0.53, p = 0.005). There was a positive correlation between an increase in ghrelin and a decrease in percentage body fat during weight loss (r = 0.51; p = 0.002). Conclusion: The results seem to provide evidence that weight loss may decrease blood pressure in obese patients via a ghrelin-dependent mechanism

High doses of simvastatin in ACS decrease serum PDGF levels without influencing immune activation

Background: The positive effects of statin therapy in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) may result from their anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects. The aim of the study was to compare the influence of standard and high-dose statin therapies in ACS on the serum markers of immune and platelet activation. Material and methods: We examined 44 patients with ACS randomised into two groups: Group S(+) - 22 patients with ACS who were administered high doses of simvastatin (80 mg per day) over a period of one month from a cardiac event; Group S(&#8211;) - 22 patients with ACS treated by standard doses of statins. In all patients successful percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) were performed. Laboratory analyses were performed at the baseline on the 7th and 30th days from an ACS and involved the following: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, soluble forms of TNF receptor (sTNFR 1 and 2), Interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-10. Results: During a one-month follow-up we found no difference between clinical data and the baseline levels of the assessed markers in the groups examined. There were no differences in the consecutive measurements of TNF-a, sTNFR1, sTNFR 2, IL-2, and IL-10 levels. Serum concentrations of PDGF were significantly lower on the 7th and 30th days in group S(+) (7th: 6111 &#177; 1834 pg/ml, p = 0.037; 30th: 5735 &#177; 1089 pg/ml, p = 0.016, respectively) in comparison to group S(&#8211;) (7th: 7292 &#177; 1952 pg/ml; 30th: 7034 &#177; 2008 pg/ml, respectively). Conclusions: High doses of simvastatin administered over a period of one month following an acute coronary syndrome were associated with a significant decrease in serum PDGF levels without influence on the activation of serum immune markers