Publications by authors named "Alexander Santos"

Background: Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an autoimmune condition which can cause complex, multiorgan dysfunction. This autoimmune disease is caused by the production of antinuclear antibodies which allows this disease to target virtually any organ in the human body. When a patient experiences an unpredictable worsening of disease activity, it is generally considered a lupus flare.

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BACKGROUND This case report demonstrates the relationship of an estrogen-eluting vaginal ring and thrombosis. There have been multiple reports in the literature demonstrating this scenario, but it is normally found that the patient is taking the medication orally. In this unique report we present the case of a patient with an acute severe pulmonary embolus while using an estrogen-eluting vaginal ring, with no other significant risk factors.

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Tissue concentrations of advanced glycation end product (AGE) and peripheral soluble receptor of AGE (sRAGE) levels may be associated with periodontitis severity. Both parameters and periodontitis might serve as outcome predictors for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aimed to investigate possible associations between periodontitis and AGE/sRAGE.

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Community pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) play a crucial role in providing high-quality care to critically ill children in the rural setting. Setting one up requires meticulous planning and allocation of limited resources. The design and layout of PICUs vary widely but need to meet the required minimum standards and follow local and federal policies and regulatory standards.

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Acute exercise elicits benefits to cognition and mood. The consistency and accumulation of benefits across exercise sessions remains unclear. This exploratory study evaluated the reproducibility and accumulation of changes in cognitive control and mood across multiple exercise sessions.

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Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is accompanied by increased free radical activity which contributes to ageing and the development or worsening of degenerative diseases. Apart from other physiological factors, AGEs are also an important biomarker for premature ageing. Here we report protein modifications (glycation) in a mouse model of lamin B receptor deficient ic /ic mice displaying skin defects similar to those of classical progeria.

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Background And Aims: Soluble RAGE (sRAGE) serum level could be a biomarker for atherosclerosis and subsequent diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, we wanted to investigate whether peripheral sRAGE level is associated with new cardiovascular events among patients with CVD using the Cox's regression analysis.

Methods: In this three-year longitudinal cohort study, 1002 in-patients with angiographically proven CVD were included.

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Introduction: The goal of the present study was to evaluate the influence of surface grooves (peaks and valleys) resulting from machining during the manufacturing process of polished and unpolished nickel-titanium BR4C endodontic files on the fatigue life of the instruments.

Methods: Ten electropolished and 10 unpolished endodontic files were provided by the manufacturer. Specimens were from the same batch, but the unpolished instruments were removed from the production line before surface treatment.

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Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) stimulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and represent a risk factor for atherosclerosis, while their formation seems to be prevented by zinc. Metallothioneins (MT), zinc-binding proteins exert an antioxidant function by regulating intracellular zinc availability and protecting cells from ROS damages. +1245 A/G MT1A polymorphism was implicated in type 2 diabetes and in cardiovascular disease development as well as in the modulation of antioxidant response.

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Advanced glycation end product (AGE) accumulations as well as a high fat diet are associated with cardiovascular diseases. AGEs are recognized by several receptor molecules of which the receptor of AGEs (RAGE) is currently the most intensively studied. Activation of RAGE causes an unfavorable pro-inflammatory state.

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Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) seem to be involved in aging as well as in the development of cardiovascular diseases. During aging, AGEs accumulate in extracellular matrix proteins like collagen and contribute to vessel stiffness. Whether non-invasive measurement of AGE accumulation in the skin may reflect vessel function and vessel protein modification is unknown.

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Oligomers of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) are thought to be the most toxic form of Aβ and are linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we used a flow cytometric approach for the detection and assessment of oligomers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from AD patients and other neurological disorders. 30 CSF samples from patients suffering from AD (n = 14), non-demented controls (n = 12), and other neurological disorders (dementia with Lewy bodies, n = 2; vascular dementia, n = 1; primary progressive aphasia, n = 1) were analyzed for the presence of Aβ-oligomers by flow cytometry.

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The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system is involved in cell migration, which plays an important role in cancer progression. It has been shown that cancer progression correlates with the level of circulating human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) expressing CD34 and/or CD133. However, it is unknown whether factors released from cancer cells, including soluble compounds of the IGF system, recruit these HSPCs via enhancing their migration.

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A method for simultaneous quantification of amyloid-beta1-40, amyloid-beta1-42 and amyloid-beta oligomers in human plasma is described. The method consists of a combination of immunoprecipitation using specific antibodies against the different forms of amyloid-beta, and immobilization of the immunocomplexes to magnetic beads. Addition of fluorescence-labelled antibodies which recognize the specific antibodies to the amyloid-beta subsets allows the peptide/associates detection in the sample by flow cytometry.

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Objective: To determine whether inhaled steroid administration after cardiopulmonary bypass will attenuate pulmonary inflammation and improve lung compliance and oxygenation.

Design: Randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Setting: Children's Hospital of Michigan, intensive care unit.

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The neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been linked recently to non-fibrillar forms of neurotoxic amyloid-beta (Abeta) oligomers of which high levels are observed in the brain of AD patients. This suggests that Abeta oligomers play a key role in the early events of AD, underlining their potential for the early diagnosis of the disease. We have developed an extremely sensitive assay for the detection of oligomeric and fibrillar structures of Abeta that is based on multiparametric analysis of data obtained by flow cytometry and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (Fret).

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