15 research outputs found
Increased Expression of Tissue Factor and Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Vascular Complications
The aim of the study was to determine the correlation between
the expression of tissue factor (TF) and the receptor
for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs) and vascular
complications in patients with longstanding uncontrolled
type 2 diabetes (T2D). TF and RAGE mRNAs as well as
TF antigen and activity were investigated in 21 T2D patients
with and without vascular complications. mRNA expression
was assessed by reverse transcriptaseâpolymerase
chain reaction (RT-PCR) in nonstimulated and advanced
glycation end product (AGE) albuminâstimulated peripheral
blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). TF antigen expression
was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) and TF activity by a modified prothrombin
time assay. Basal RAGE mRNA expression was 0.2 ± 0.06
in patients with complications and 0.05 ± 0.06 patients without
complications (P = .004). Stimulation did not cause any
further increase in either group. TF mRNA was 0.58 ± 0.29
in patients with complications and 0.21 ± 0.18 in patients
without complications (P = .003). Stimulation resulted in
a nonsignificant increase in both groups. Basal TF activity
(U/106 PBMCs) was 18.4 ± 13.2 in patients with complications
and 6.96 ± 5.2 in patients without complications (P =
.003). It increased 3-fold in both groups after stimulation
(P = .001). TF antigen (pg/106 PBMCs) was 33.7 ± 28.6 in
patients with complications, 10.4 ± 7.8 in patients without complications (P = .02). Stimulation tripled TF antigen in
both groups of patients (P = .001). The RAGE/TF axis is
up-regulated inT2Dpatients with vascular complications as
compared to patients without complications. This suggests
a role for this axis in the pathogenesis of vascular complications
in T2D
Benefits of using digital thoracic drainage systems for post-operative treatment in pediatric populations: personal experience and review of literature
introduction: the digital chest drainage monitoring system (Medela Thopaz+), unlike analogical systems, reliably regulates the pressure applied to the patient's chest and digitally and silently monitors critical therapeutic indicators (volume of fluid and/or drained air). Its use in adulthood has been widely described, but there is still little experience in the pediatric field. the aim of this study is to test this new device in the pediatric population. materials and methods: we conducted a retrospective study of 160 patients undergoing chest surgery at our hospital. these patients were divided into 82 treated with the Thopaz system in the period from January 2021 to April 2023 and 78 in whom pleurevac, had been used in the time period from January 2020 to april 2023. results: the average age of patients was 10.45 years (range: 3.1â17.2) for the thopaz Group and 10.71 years for Pleurevac Group. The groups were homogeneus also by weight and type of intervention. the device was held in place for 10.64 days (mean) for thopaz group, compared to 16.87 days (mean) for pleurevac group (p < 0.05). The median number of postoperative x-rays before the closure of the chest tube was 4.29 in the digital drainage group compared to 8.41 in the traditional draining group (p < 0.05). conclusions: the digital chest monitoring device provides objective measurement, allows for rapid patient mobilization (with good pain control and increased compliance). in addition, the use of Thopaz in the paediatric population seems to be safe (there is no statistically significant difference in terms of complications such as prolonged air leaks and pneumothorax after the chest tube closure) and potentially beneficial
Conservative management of congenital bronchial atresia: The Bambino GesĂč children's hospital experience
New neuroretinal rim blood flow evaluation method combining Heidelberg retina flowmetry and tomography
AIMâAccurate Heidelberg retina flowmeter (HRF) measurements require correct manual setting of the HRF photodetector sensitivity. The neuroretinal rim produces a weak signal relative to the peripapillary retina. A newly developed HRF alignment and sensitivity protocol, capable of accurate rim measurement, was investigated.âšMETHODSâ18 eyes of nine healthy volunteers were examined by HRF. Three images of each eye were taken using three different imaging methods. Method 1: a conventional image (optic nerve head centred image with photodetector sensitivity optimised for the strong signal from the peripapillary retina); method 2: the setting of method 1 with photodetector sensitivity optimised for the weak signal from the rim; and method 3: the setting of method 2 with the temporal rim margin tangent to the lateral image border to remove the overpowering signal from the temporal peripapillary retina. The neuroretinal rim was defined by the Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT). Blood flow and reflectivity values (DC component) in the rim area were compared for the three methods using pointwise analysis. Coefficients of variation of repeated measurements in 12 subjects have been calculated for method 3.âšRESULTSâThe neuroretinal rim area measured by method 1 had a significantly lower brightness compared with method 2 and 3 (p=0.0002 and p=0.0002, respectively). Method 2 provided proper sensitivity for the weak signals of the rim area based on rim tissue DC values; however, this sensitivity setting was too high for the strong signal from the peripapillary retina. Method 3 avoided the strong peripapillary signal with the proper signal from the rim and provided significantly higher flow values of the rim area at 75 and 90( )percentile pixels (p=0.0065 and p=0.0038 respectively) compared with method 2. Interobserver repeatability ranged from 16.85% to 21.96% for the different parameters. âšCONCLUSIONSâMethod 3 provides an accurate and reproducible flow measurement of the neuroretinal rim area through proper sensitivity for the weak rim signal, alignment, and removal of the strong temporal signal from the image. This new method is recommended to improve accuracy of blood flow measurement in the neuroretinal rim.âš
Photodetector sensitivity level and heidelberg retina flowmeter measurements in humans
In vitro models suggest that Heidelberg retina flowmeter (HRF) measurements are affected by changes in photodetector sensitivity. We measured blood flow in a single volume of human retinal tissue in vivo at various sensitivity (DC) levels