Interleukin-23 serum levels in patients affected by peripheral arterial disease.

Objectives: To clarify whether interleukin (IL)-23 is involved in peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Design And Methods: We evaluated IL-23 serum levels, in 29 patients suffering from lower extremity PAD and in 30 healthy subjects.

Results: IL-23 serum levels were higher during the three times (T0, T1 and T2) compared to the control group, although only statistically significant for T0 and T2: T0 (15.

High mobility group box-1 expression correlates with poor outcome in lung injury patients.

Chest trauma is frequently followed by pulmonary contusion and sepsis. High mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1) is a late mediator of severe sepsis that has been associated with mortality under experimental conditions. We studied HMGB-1 mRNA expression in patients with lung injury and its relationship with the severity of trauma and survival.

Trehalose: a biophysics approach to modulate the inflammatory response during endotoxic shock.

We evaluated the effects of trehalose against endotoxic shock, a condition in which the loss of bio-membrane integrity plays a pivotal role. In addition we performed a biophysics experiment by quasi elastic neutron scattering (QENS) study, to investigate whether the membrane stability effect of trehalose might be correlated with its high capability to switch-off the water diffusive dynamics and, hence, the kinetic mechanisms of interaction. Endotoxic shock was induced in male rats by a single injection of Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 20 mg/kg/i.

Polydeoxyribonucleotide improves angiogenesis and wound healing in experimental thermal injury.

Objective: Polydeoxyribonucleotide contains a mixture of nucleotides and interacts with adenosine receptors, stimulating vascular endothelial growth factor expression and wound healing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of polydeoxyribonucleotide on experimental burn wounds.

Design: Randomized experiment.

Bispectral Index in ICU: correlation with Ramsay Score on assessment of sedation level.

Objective: The assessment of sedation level in critically ill patient remains a challenge for the intensivists in order to avoid over- or under-sedation phenomena. Scoring systems commonly used still show some limitation; the introduction of Bispectral Index (an EEG parameter) could bring potential advantages in monitoring sedation. According to the reports, Bispectral Index correlates with levels of sedation on the Ramsay Scale.