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Possible Alterations (possible + alteration)
Selected AbstractsEarly changes in renal hemodynamics in children with diabetes: Doppler sonographic findingsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 6 2008Piernicola Pelliccia MD Abstract Purpose Although clinically evident diabetes-related microvascular complications are extremely rare in childhood, early functional and structural abnormalities may be present a few years after the onset of the disease. Renal Doppler resistance index (RI) is widely used for the evaluation of blood flow in renal parenchymal diseases. This study was designed to investigate the possible alteration of intrarenal Doppler RI in children with diabetes compared with healthy children. Methods The study was performed in 42 children with diabetes (age range, 6,18 years) and in 41 age-matched healthy controls, all having normal renal function. RI was measured with Doppler sonography in interlobular renal arteries. Results RI values were significantly greater in children with diabetes than in age-matched healthy controls (0.64 ± 0.03 versus 0.60 ± 0.04, P < 0.035). RI correlated positively with HbA1c (P < 0.001, r = 0.42) and diabetes duration (P < 0.05, r = 0.39). Conclusion Early changes in renal hemodynamics are detectable on Doppler sonography in children with diabetes without any evidence of renal dysfunction and may suggest a preclinical stage of diabetic nephropathy. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008. [source] Circulating mesenchymal stem cells with abnormal osteogenic differentiation in patients with osteoporosisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 11 2009Luca Dalle Carbonare Objective While the role of osteoclasts in bone loss has been well investigated, the involvement of osteoblast-lineage cells has not been completely elucidated. Several genes contribute to normal osteoblastic differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), but an understanding of their role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis is still lacking. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a possible alteration of osteogenic gene expression as a mechanism contributing to bone loss. Methods We studied the osteogenic differentiation process in MSCs obtained from the peripheral blood of 31 patients with osteoporosis and 20 normal donors. The cells were evaluated by colony-forming unit,fibroblastic assay and cultured in osteogenic medium to analyze the transcription factors runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2) and Sp7 and the bone-related genes COL1A1, SPARC, and SPP1 after 3, 8, and 15 days of differentiation. In addition, to determine possible differences between the 2 groups in terms of osteoclastic and osteoblastic activation, we quantified the osteoprotegerin (OPG) and RANKL levels in the supernatants of osteoblastic culture. Results Circulating MSCs were increased in osteoporosis patients compared with normal donors. In contrast, gene expression analysis revealed down-regulation of RUNX2, Sp7, COL1A1, SPARC, and SPP1 in patients with osteoporosis, associated with a lower OPG:RANKL ratio. Conclusion These results suggest that an alteration of osteoblastic differentiation may contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. The noninvasive approach used in the present study could be proposed as a useful tool for studying mesenchymal involvement in bone diseases. [source] Variability in pain response to a non-pharmacological intervention across repeated routine pain exposure in preterm infants: a feasibility studyACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 5 2009E Cignacco Abstract Aim: To explore the variability in pain response in preterm infants across time who received sucrose during routine heel stick. Method: Single group, exploratory repeated measures design. Setting: Two tertiary level neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in Switzerland. Subjects: Nine preterm infants born between 28 2/7 and 31 4/7 weeks of gestation during their first 14 days of life. Measurements: Pain was assessed by the Bernese Pain Scale for Neonates (BPSN), the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Salivary cortisol was analysed. Results: 72,94% of the variability was within-subject variability, indicating inconsistency of pain responses across the 5 heel sticks. Interrater agreement was highest during heel sticks 1,3 and decreased during heel stick 4 and 5, indicating a possible alteration of pain patterns. No significant differences in the amount of cortisol could be detected before and after the heel sticks (p = 0.55), indicating no stress-induced peak after the painful intervention. However, a general gradual decrease of cortisol levels across time could be detected. Conclusion: A high variability in pain response among preterm neonates across time could be described. Consistency of cortisol levels before and after the heel sticks could indicate the effectiveness of sucrose across time. [source] Analysis of Aurora-A and hMPS1 mitotic kinases in mantle cell lymphomaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 2 2006Emma Camacho Abstract Aurora-A and hMPS1 are kinases involved in spindle checkpoint and centrosome duplication regulation and whose alterations have been associated with cell transformation and chromosome instability in different tumor models. In this study, we have examined the possible alterations of these genes in 58 mantle cell lymphomas (MCLs) and 4 MCL-related cell lines. Aurora-A was also examined in 46 diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs). Aurora-A and hMPS1 mRNA expression levels were related to tumor proliferative activity. Interestingly, a MCL case with the highest number or chromosomal imbalances also showed an extremely high value of Aurora-A mRNA expression. No Aurora-A gene amplifications were detected in any tumor or cell line, whereas hemizygous hMPS1 gene deletions were observed in 23% of MCLs and 3 of the 4 cell lines. However, no expression alterations or gene mutations were detected in these cases. The Aurora-A proposed cancer susceptibility polymorphic variant (P31I) was observed with a similar frequency in MCL, DLBCL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in the 431 healthy controls. However, the 3 MCLs and 4 DLBCLs with the homozygous variant of this polymorphism had particular clinical characteristics with an unusual early-age presentation and second epithelial malignancies in MCL and extranodal origin in DLBCL. These findings indicate that Aurora-A and hMPS1 aberrations are uncommon in aggressive lymphomas but Aurora-A overexpression may contribute to numerical chromosomal alterations in occasional MCL. Although the Aurora-A P31I polymorphic variant is not directly involved in a genetic predisposition to these lymphomas, it may modulate the clinical presentation of these tumors. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Does diagnostic sonography alter thyroid and parathyroid hormone levels?JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 1 2008Erdinc Serin MD Abstract Purpose To investigate possible alterations in the levels of thyroid and parathyroid hormones (PTHs) and thyroglobulin (TG) in healthy individuals following diagnostic sonographic examination of the thyroid gland. Methods Thirty healthy women with no pathologic findings underwent sonographic examination, followed 6 weeks later by a second examination involving a probe-only application (PA) with the ultrasound scanner switched off. Duration times were identical for both examinations. Blood was drawn before and after the 2 applications. Thyroid hormone, PTH, and TG levels before and after the 2 applications were compared, and the difference between the variations for each parameter in the first and second applications was assessed. Blood samples were taken before and after the sonographic examination and the PA, and the serum concentrations of sensitive thyrotropin, total and free thyroxine, total and free tri-iodothyronine, TG, and PTH were measured. The pre- and post-examination levels of the hormones for the 2 applications were then compared and the difference between the variations for each parameter in the first and second application was then assessed. Results The only significant variations observed were in the TG levels after PA and PTH levels after both sonographic examination and PA. The comparison between the 2 difference values revealed no significant difference except for PTH. Conclusion This preliminary report on the possible influence of sonographic examination of the thyroid on the serum levels of thyroid and parathyroid hormones suggests that gland secretions such as PTH may be affected by external factors, including ultrasound. Clinicians should be aware of alterations in hormone levels by external factors. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008 [source] Elevated serum levels of the apoptosis related molecules TNF- ,, Fas/Apo-1 and Bcl-2 in oral lichen planusJOURNAL OF ORAL PATHOLOGY & MEDICINE, Issue 7 2004A. Sklavounou-Andrikopoulou Background:, The serum circulatory levels of apoptosis related molecules measured in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and healthy individuals in order to investigate possible alterations associated with the clinical forms of OLP. Methods:, Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- ,, soluble Fas (sFas) and Bcl-2 studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in whole blood samples in 13 OLP reticular, 13 OLP atrophic-erosive form patients and 26 healthy subjects. Results:, Significantly elevated levels of TNF- , and sFas detected in OLP patients as compared with controls. Serum concentrations of Bcl-2 although increased in 17/26 patients, they were not statistically significant. Reticular OLP exhibited slightly elevated TNF- , and significantly elevated Bcl-2 serum levels, compared with erosive OLP. Conclusions:, These data suggest that a putative dysfunction in the Fas/FasL mediated apoptosis might be involved in the OLP pathogenesis. A downregulation of Bcl-2 serum levels in the atrophic-erosive OLP may be associated with promotion of the disease activity. [source] Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes on the surface of tomatoes by neutral electrolyzed waterLETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003M.A. Deza Abstract Aims:, To determine the efficacy of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) in killing Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, as well as nonpathogenic E. coli, on the surface of tomatoes, and to evaluate the effect of rinsing with NEW on the organoleptic characteristics of the tomatoes. Methods and Results:, The bactericidal activity of NEW, containing 444 or 89 mg l,1 of active chlorine, was evaluated over pure cultures (8·5 log CFU ml,1) of the above-mentioned strains. All of them were reduced by more than 6 log CFU ml,1 within 5 min of exposure to NEW. Fresh tomatoes were surface-inoculated with the same strains, and rinsed in NEW (89 mg l,1 of active chlorine) or in deionized sterile water (control), for 30 or 60 s. In the NEW treatments, independent of the strain and of the treatment time, an initial surface population of about 5 log CFU sq.cm,1 was reduced to <1 log CFU sq.cm,1, and no cells were detected in the washing solution by plating procedure. A sensory evaluation was conducted to ascertain possible alterations in organoleptic qualities, yielding no significant differences with regard to untreated tomatoes. Significance and Impact of the Study:, Rinsing in NEW reveals as an effective method to control the presence of E. coli O157:H7, S. enteritidis and L. monocytogenes on the surface of fresh tomatoes, without affecting their organoleptic characteristics. This indicates its potential application for the decontamination of fresh produce surfaces. [source] Changes in oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve in intrabdominal organs during pig experimental orthotopic liver transplantationLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 7 2005Georgia Kostopanagiotou Liver transplantation has become a gold standard treatment for irreversible liver disease. Conventional measures of oxygenation are inadequate to understand the dynamics of regional oxygen metabolism during liver transplantation because they represent global markers of tissue dysoxia. Therefore, the addition of an assessment of the hemoglobin O2 binding capacity can give a better insight into systemic and regional tissue oxygenation and can reflect a more accurate estimation of oxygen release to the tissues than can the hemoglobin, the PaO2 and SaO2 alone. This prospective study was designed to evaluate possible alterations in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve of vital end organs (small bowel, liver, and kidney) in an experimental liver transplantation model. Fifteen pigs with body weights ranging from 25 to 30 kg were used for the study. Five healthy pigs underwent a sham operation under general anesthesia (group A-control). Ten pigs underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Five of them were healthy (group B), whereas the other five were in acute liver failure, which had been surgically induced (group C). Systemic arterial blood pressure, cardiac index, and pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance indexes were measured. Venous blood gas analysis was also performed from pulmonary artery, superior mesenteric, hepatic, and renal veins at well-defined timepoints during the course of the OLT. A statistically significant (P < 0.05) decrease of P50 in groups B and C compared with group A was observed 30 minutes after reperfusion in the systemic circulation, hepatic, and renal veins. This coincided with a decrease in animal temperature 30 minutes after reperfusion. Regarding group C, after reperfusion of the newly transplanted liver there was a significant increase of P50 in the small bowel in comparison to baseline values. In conclusion, these changes in P50 may suggest the occurrence of abnormal tissue oxygenation after reperfusion. (Liver Transpl 2005;11:760,766.) [source] Nitrogen components in IAB/IIICD iron meteoritesMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 3 2007K. V. PONGANIS In this study, a dozen IAB/IIICD iron meteorites (see Table 1 for new classifications) were analyzed by stepwise pyrolysis to resolve nitrogen components. Although isotopic heterogeneity has been presumed to be lost in thermally processed parent objects, the high-resolution nitrogen isotopic data indicate otherwise. At least one reservoir has a light nitrogen signature, ,15N = ,(74 ± 2),, at 900 °C to 1000 °C, with a possible second, even lighter, reservoir in Copiapo (,15N , ,82,). These releases are consistent with metal nitride decomposition or low-temperature metal phase changes. Heavier nitrogen reservoirs are observed in steps ,700 °C and at 1200 °C to 1400 °C. The latter release has a ,15N signature with a limit of ,,16,. Xenon isotopic signatures are sensitive indicators for the presence of inclusions because of the very low abundances of Xe in metal. The combined high-temperature release shows 131Xe and 129Xe excesses to be consistent with shifts expected for Te(n,,) reaction in troilite by epithermal neutrons, but there are also possible alterations in the isotopic ratios likely due to extinct 129I and cosmic-ray spallation. The IAB/IIICD iron data imply that at least one light N component survived the formation processes of iron parent objects which only partially exchanged nitrogen between phases. Preservation of separate N reservoirs conflicts with neither the model of impact-heating effects for these meteorites nor reported age differences between metal and silicates. [source] Salivary IgA and IgG subclasses in oral mucosal diseasesORAL DISEASES, Issue 6 2002S Sistig OBJECTIVE:,It was hypothesized that serum levels of immunoglobulins may play a role in the pathogenesis of oral mucosal diseases, or reflect clinical changes in these conditions, but little is known about the role of salivary immunoglobulins in the pathogenesis of these diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate possible alterations in salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG subclasses in patients with oral mucosal inflammatory diseases. SUBJECTS and METHODS:,Levels of IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and IgA1 and IgA2 by radial immunodiffusion in the resting whole saliva of 31 patients with acute recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) (and followed in remission), 11 patients with chronic hyperplastic candidal infection (CHC), 12 patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), six patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), and 18 healthy volunteers using the normal saliva as a comparison point for all. RESULTS:,IgG and IgA subclasses were increased in OLP. In CHC all IgG subclasses were increased while IgA1 was decreased, IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 levels were increased in SS, while all IgG subclasses as well as IgA2 were increased in acute RAU in comparison with healthy controls. No differences in any immunoglobulin subclasses between major and minor acute RAU were found. In remission, IgG1 and IgG4 returned to normal values while IgG2, IgG3, and IgA2 remained increased in patients with RAU. CONCLUSION:,Salivary immunoglobulin subclasses vary in different oral mucosal conditions and may play a role in oral mucosal inflammatory diseases and/or reflect clinical changes in these conditions. [source] Altered bone metabolism in children infected with human immunodeficiency virusACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 1 2003G Zamboni Aim: Data on bone homoeostasis of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), at the time of the gain in bone mass, are very rare. To determine possible alterations in bone metabolism, 13 prepubertal vertically HIV-infected children were studied. Methods: Viral load, CD4 count, interleukin-6 (IL-6), growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), acid-labile subunit (ALS), IGFBP-3 proteolysis, osteocalcin in blood and N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen in urine were determined. Lumbar spine bone mineral density was examined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Low osteocalcin levels were found in all patients. Low IGF-I was found in only six children, who had low CD4 count and high IL-6 levels, with normal levels of IGFBP-3 and ALS, absent IGFBP-3 proteolysis and decreased bone mineral density, irrespective of viral load or growth. Conclusion: Low serum osteocalcin levels appear to be an initial warning sign of possible altered bone metabolism in HIV-infected children. However, only when the immune system becomes more seriously compromised is bone loss measurable by bone densitometry. [source] | ||||||||||