Enteral bleeding in a former preterm girl with short bowel syndrome: Do not miss the diagnosis

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L'impiego di impollinatori come bioindicatori di impatto ambientale

Lo scopo dello studio è stato quello di sviluppare una approfondita conoscenza delle relazioni fra insetti impollinatori e piante con riferimento ai due aspetti seguenti: a) il potenziale impatto di piante geneticamente modificate (PGM); b) le possibilità di contaminazione dell’ambiente attraverso la dispersione di polline. Tale lavoro è stato effettuato utilizzando come casi studio quello di PGM esprimenti tossine di tipo Cry per la resistenza ad insetti. Sono state studiate tre diverse colture: colza, melanzana e pomodoro

Young boy with a long history of splenomegaly and cytopenia

A 15-year-old boy was admitted with a history of cytopenia (white blood cell count 3.170/μm, platelets 90.000/μm) associated with splenomegaly, found during investigations for recurrent mild jaundice due to Gilbert's syndrome.He was in good general health, without systemic symptoms; therefore, the leading causes of asymptomatic splenomegaly were excluded. Coagulation, liver tests and abdomen ultrasound (US) were normal, showing a hepatopetal portal flow to the colour-Doppler. There was no sign of haemolysis on haematology investigations. The C reactive protein, immune globulins levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were normal, excluding both an infective and an immune regulation disorder. We excluded the haematological malignancy and lymphoproliferative disorders through a peripheral blood smear and a bone marrow biopsy.His history was remarkable for neonatal sepsis, which required umbilical venous catheter during hospitalisation in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The patient follow-up was interrupted for a while, probably due to his good health condition.At age 17 years, the child accessed our emergency department. for a minor trauma to the limbs, and his physical examination was unremarkable, except for the splenomegaly. We repeated the abdomen US, with colour flow Doppler (figure 1).edpract;archdischild-2019-318626v1/BLKF1F1BLK_F1Figure 1B-mode shows 1.4 cm of maximum calibre of portal vein at hilus with slightly perihilar hyperechogenicity; colour and power Doppler US shows preserved hepatopetal flow and PSV of 41 cm/s (normal range 20-40 cm/s). PSV, peak systolic velocity; US, ultrasound. QUESTIONS: What is the most likely diagnosis?Portal vein obstructionGaucher diseaseAutoimmune sclerosing cholangitisLeukemic hepatic infiltrationWhat is the gold standard imaging for diagnosis?Abdomen Doppler USContrast-enhanced CTCT without contrastUltrasound-based elastographyHow should this child be managed?Upper gastrointestinal endoscopyBeta-blocker therapyLeft-mesenteric portal vein bypass (Meso-Rex bypass)Transjugular intrahepatic porto-systemic shunt Answers can be found on page 02

Composition of Arthropod Species Assemblages in Bt-expressing and Near Isogenic Eggplants in Experimental Fields

The environmental impact of genetically modified (GM) plants in experimental fields has been examined in several ways, in particular with respect to the dynamics of specific nontarget organisms. The approach of sampling for biodiversity in agroecosystems to compare complex patterns could also be useful in studying potential disruptions caused by GM crops. In this study, we set up replicated field plots of Bt-expressing eggplants and near isogenic untransformed eggplants as a control. We monitored the presence and abundance of herbivore and predator arthropods in weekly visual samplings of the plant canopy for three growing seasons (2001-2003). Insect species were pooled in organismal taxonomic units (OTUs); three multivariate methods were used to compare species assemblage as an estimate of insect biodiversity. This multistep statistical approach proved to be efficient in recognizing association patterns, as evidenced by the data for the target species Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) clearly showing a significant association with the control plots. All the analyses indicate a comparable species assemblage between transgenic and near isogenic eggplant areas. Our results suggest that some taxa may warrant more specific study. For example, Alticinae beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) were alternatively more abundant in either of the two treatments, and their overall abundance was significantly higher on transgenic eggplants. In light of these results and because of their taxonomic proximity to the target species, these herbivores may represent an important nontarget group to be further studied. Moreover, some sap feeders (e.g., Homoptera: Cicadellidae) were more abundant on Bt-expressing plants in some samples in all 3 y

Diagnostic accuracy and applicability of intestinal auto-antibodies in the wide clinical spectrum of coeliac disease

BACKGROUND: Intestinal coeliac auto-antibodies are the marker of coeliac disease (CD). Since the determination of these antibodies is still not widely available, we used immunoassays to identify the most suitable technology for revealing intestinal auto-antibodies in the wide clinical spectrum of CD. METHODS: Intestinal auto-antibodies have been prospectively investigated in CD suspected children using two immunoassays: intestinal-deposits of IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG) and biopsy-culture IgA anti-endomysium (AEA). Intestinal IgM antibodies have been determined in IgA-deficient subjects. FINDINGS: Two-hundred and twenty-one suspected CD patients were enrolled. Intestinal antibodies were tested positive for both assays in classical CD patients (n\u202f=\u202f178) with villous atrophy and positive serum-CD antibodies, potential CD patients (n\u202f=\u202f16) with normal intestinal mucosa and positive serum-CD antibodies, and pre-potential CD patients (n\u202f=\u202f14) with normal intestinal mucosa and negative serum-CD antibodies. In 13/221 with normal intestinal mucosa, negative CD-serum antibodies and negative intestinal antibodies CD has been excluded. All classical, 14/16 potential and 11/14 pre-potential CD patients on gluten-free diet (GFD) improved their symptoms. In 9/11 pre-potential patients intestinal antibodies disappeared on GFD. Both assays were negative in 69/71 control subjects. The two assays showed high diagnostic sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99%). INTERPRETATION: Intestinal CD-antibodies make prompt diagnosis in the wide clinical spectrum of CD reducing the delay in diagnosis and treatment, especially in pre-potential CD patients. The easy handling biopsy culture assay is an effective diagnostic tool which should be carried out by any gastroenterology unit to recognize all CD clinical manifestations

Detection of Alkaline Sphingomyelinase Activity in Human Stool: Proposed Role as a New Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker of Colorectal Cancer

Abstract Objectives: Intestinal alkaline sphingomyelinase, by exerting a major role in dietary sphingomyelin digestion, is responsible for the generation of messengers able to trigger the rapid turnover and apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells. Markedly reduced mucosal alkaline sphingomyelinase activity has been associated with human colorectal neoplasms. The aim of this study was to analyze the alkaline sphingomyelinase activity in feces from healthy subjects and colorectal adenocarcinoma patients and to correlate it with the enzyme activity in intestinal tissues. Materials and Methods: The enzyme activity was measured both in the intestinal samples from 12 healthy controls and 51 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma (tumoral and paratumoral tissue) and in the fecal samples of 34 healthy subjects and 29 patients with adenocarcinoma. The relation between sphingomyelinase activity and Dukes' stage, cell differentiation degree, age, and gender was also analyzed. Results: Alkaline sphingomyelinase was significantly decreased (P < 0.001; mean reduction >90%) in tumoral intestinal mucosa of patients compared with controls independently of Dukes' stage and tumor differentiation grade. Interestingly, the enzyme activity in histologically normal paratumoral tissues was statistically lower than control samples (P < 0.001). As occurs in neoplastic tissues, a relevant mean reduction (P < 0.0001; almost 90%) of alkaline sphingomyelinase was revealed in stool samples from tumor patients when compared with controls. Conclusion: These findings may have implications for cancer biology and perhaps also for the design of clinical test, thus suggesting that the fecal sphingomyelinase activity could really reflect the human intestinal mucosa enzyme level and could represent a new marker for human colorectal adenocarcinoma, mainly taking into account its early appearance in intestinal neoplasms

Desarrollo y puesta en funcionamiento de red social orientada a la educación

Es ampliamente conocido, que hoy en día, el auge y propagación de las redes sociales de todo tipo ha alcanzado niveles impensados hace solo unos años. Sin ir más lejos Facebook ya cuenta con más de 800 mil millones de usuarios. Utilizando las herramientas necesarias, desde un punto de vista educativo, las redes sociales pueden ser nuestras mejores aliadas en la educación. Las redes sociales son una excelente oportunidad para potenciar el aprendizaje, dado que tienen el innegable valor de acercar el aprendizaje informal y el formal. Las mismas plantean hoy en día un nuevo concepto de interactividad donde el usuario es centro atención de las mismas. Contar, hoy por hoy, con una red social educativa como parte de una universidad, la cual sirva para potenciar la metodología de enseñanza-aprendizaje se torna casi imprescindible. No solo para impartir conocimiento a los alumnos sino además para compartir sus hallazgos científicos e impedir que el conocimiento nuevo se quede estático.Eje: Tecnología informática aplicada en educaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Sarcopenia in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases: Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors

The prevalence of sarcopenia in rheumatic diseases has been evaluated in single diseases using various diagnostic approaches, generating conflicting data on the pathogenetic mechanism(s). Herein, we evaluated both muscle mass index (MMI) and muscle strength to assess sarcopenia and presarcopenia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Moreover, we evaluated the possible impact of disease/patient-related characteristics, therapeutic regimens, and nutritional aspects on sarcopenia. The present study included 168 patients of both genders, aged 40⁻75 years. All patients underwent a nutritional evaluation, physical activity level assessment, rheumatologic evaluation, and an MMI and muscle strength assessment. The prevalence of sarcopenia was about 20% in all the three rheumatologic diseases, whereas presarcopenia was significantly different in RA, PsA and AS (p = 0.006). At multivariate analysis, only age ≥60 years and the presence of a disability were associated with a significantly increased risk of sarcopenia (p = 0.006 and p = 0.01, respectively), while a higher C-reactive protein did not reach statistical significance. Sarcopenia is similar in RA, PsA and AS, whereas presarcopenia significantly differs in these three diseases. Disease activity/inflammation and nutritional aspects do not influence sarcopenia, while age ≥60 years and the presence of a disability significantly increase the risk of sarcopenia

Redes sociales orientadas a la educación y su integración en contextos pre-existentes

Gracias a la denominada Web 2.0, internet se ha convertido en bidireccional y nos permite interactuar con otros usuarios. Cuando interactuamos con otros individuos estamos realizando una actividad social y formando comunidades. A estas comunidades, compuestas de personas conectadas por uno o varios tipos de relaciones, se las denomina redes sociales. Cuando el interés común de estas comunidades es el aprendizaje, a estas redes se las denomina redes sociales educativas. Las redes sociales se basan en los principios básicos de comunicación, cooperación y colaboración y utilizan un conjunto de servicios destinados a los integrantes de dicha red. El objetivo de esta investigación es: el estudio de los servicios que ofrecen las redes sociales, el análisis de cómo se integran esos servicios, el desarrollo de una guía de servicios que deben estar y el diseño una red social orientada a la educación.Eje: Tecnología informática aplicada en educaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Biliverdin Protects against Liver Ischemia Reperfusion Injury in Swine

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in organ transplantation remains a serious and unsolved problem. Organs that undergo significant damage during IRI, function less well immediately after reperfusion and tend to have more problems at later times when rejection can occur. Biliverdin has emerged as an agent that potently suppress IRI in rodent models. Since the use of biliverdin is being developed as a potential therapeutic modality for humans, we tested the efficacy for its effects on IRI of the liver in swine, an accepted and relevant pre-clinical animal model. Administration of biliverdin resulted in rapid appearance of bilirubin in the serum and significantly suppressed IRI-induced liver dysfunction as measured by multiple parameters including urea and ammonia clearance, neutrophil infiltration and tissue histopathology including hepatocyte cell death. Taken together, our findings, in a large animal model, provide strong support for the continued evaluation of biliverdin as a potential therapeutic in the clinical setting of transplantation of the liver and perhaps other organs