Systemic inflammation up-regulates serum hepcidin in exacerbations and stabile chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: Hepcidin is the main regulator of systemic iron homeostasis and its expression is modulated by iron status, hypoxia, erythroid factors and inflammation. The aim of our study was to examine a relationship between level of hepcidin and iron status, erythropoietic activity, hypoxia and inflammation in exacerbations and stable COPD patients. We hypothesized that hepcidin concentration is changed in COPD patients and is substantially influenced by inflammation and/or hypoxia.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with high fibrinogen and fibrinogen deposits.

Background: Idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (ICTS) is a common entrapment neuropathy. Some cases of ICTS are linked to mutations of the transthyretin gene, whereas others are associated with systemic amyloidosis. The majority of ICTS cases are of unknown etiology.

Immune thrombocytopenia: serum cytokine levels in children and adults.

Background: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an immune-mediated platelet disorder in which autoantibody-coated platelets are removed from the blood by monocytic phagocytes and there is impaired platelet production. There is a delicate balance of specific cytokine levels, which has an important role in the immune system and is known to be deregulated in autoimmune diseases. This study was designed to investigate the differences in Th cytokine levels between children and adults with newly diagnosed ITP and to compare these profiles to those found in healthy, age-matched controls.

Microbial ethanol production in postmortem urine sample.

We present a case in which postmortem blood ethanol concentration was 0.02 g/kg and acetone concentration was 0.51 g/kg, while urine ethanol concentration was 6.

Relationship between interleukin-6 and cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: To explore the relationship between IL-6 levels and echocardiographic abnormalities, and N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in SSc patients and to correlate tested parameters with European Scleroderma Activity (EUSTAR) score.

Methods: This case-control study included 31 SSc patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 32 matched healthy controls. Serum IL-6 and NT-proBNP levels were measured and subjects were evaluated by conventional and pulsed-wave tissue Doppler echocardiography.

[Laboratory diagnostics of ANCA-vasculitis].

The antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) are associated with distinct forms of primary small vessel vasculitides, collectively reffered to as ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). ANCA were originally identified by IIF. Importantly, however, only ANCA directed to PR3 (PR3-ANCA) or MPO (MPO-ANCA) are relevant for the diagnosis AAV, there is international consensus that ANCA should be detected by a combination of IIF and antigen-specific assays, i.

Iron metabolism: current facts and future directions.

Iron metabolism has been intensively examined over the last decade and there are many new players in this field which are worth to be introduced. Since its discovery many studies confirmed role of liver hormone hepcidin as key regulator of iron metabolism and pointed out liver as the central organ of system iron homeostasis. Liver cells receive multiple signals related to iron balance and respond by transcriptional regulation of hepcidin expression.

Hypercalcemia induces a proinflammatory phenotype in rat leukocytes and endothelial cells.

Endothelial plasma membrane lipid microdomains, so called lipid rafts/caveolae, are rich in neutral glycosphingolipid, globotriaosylceramide, Gb3Cer, or CD77. Several plasma membrane Ca(2+) channels and pumps are located in lipid rafts/caveolae. Increased Ca(2+) influx could cause the development of an endothelial proinflammatory phenotype.

Hyperbaric oxygen is effective in early stage of healing of experimental brain abscess in rats.

Objectives: Current therapy of brain abscess (BA) includes a combined approach that involves antibiotics and minimal invasive surgery, but also hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) as a supportive measure. Optimum treatment is still a matter of significant controversy.

Methods: The experiment, previously approved by a relevant ethical committee, involved 80 female Wistar rats.

Comparison of acute effects of red wine, beer and vodka against hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress and increase in arterial stiffness in healthy humans.

Objective: We determined and compared acute effects of different alcoholic beverages on oxygen-induced increase in oxidative stress plasma marker and arterial stiffness in healthy humans.

Methods: Ten males randomly consumed one of four tested beverages: red wine (RW), vodka, beer (0.32 g ethanol/kg body wt) and water as control.

Interleukins IL-33 and IL-17/IL-17A in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: Disturbance of immune homeostasis in ulcerative colitis (UC) is related to the predominance of T-helper-2 (Th2) immune response. Interleukin (IL)-33 stimulates Th lymphocytes to produce Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, which are believed to induce pathological changes in the intestinal mucosa. The pro-inflammatory role of IL-17 in UC is still unclear.

Assessment of extravascular lung water and cardiac function in trimix SCUBA diving.

Unlabelled: An increasing number of recreational self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) divers use trimix of oxygen, helium, and nitrogen for dives deeper than 60 m of sea water. Although it was seldom linked to the development of pulmonary edema, whether SCUBA diving affects the extravascular lung water (EVLW) accumulation is largely unexplored.

Methods: Seven divers performed six dives on consecutive days using compressed gas mixture of oxygen, helium, and nitrogen (trimix), with diving depths ranging from 55 to 80 m.

Acute, food-induced moderate elevation of plasma uric acid protects against hyperoxia-induced oxidative stress and increase in arterial stiffness in healthy humans.

We examined the effects of acute, food-induced moderate increase of plasma uric acid (UA) on arterial stiffness and markers of oxidative damage in plasma in healthy males exposed to 100% normobaric oxygen. Acute elevation of plasma UA was induced by consumption of red wine, combination of ethanol and glycerol, or fructose. By using these beverages we were able to separate the effects of UA, wine polyphenols and ethanol.

[Systemic lupus erythematosus].

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic inflammatory connective tissue disorder of unknown cause that can involve joints, kidneys, serous surfaces and vessel walls. It occurs predominantly in young women. Diagnosis requires clinical and serological criteria.

The antioxidant power and level of lipid peroxidation products in the sera of apparently healthy adult males.

The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant potential of the serum and the level of lipid oxidation products in the sera of apparently healthy adult males. The "antioxidant power" of the serum, defined as the ability to reduce ferric ions by antioxidants from the serum (FRAP), was taken as the indicator of total antioxidation potential. The formation of lipid oxidation products was evaluated as thiobarbituric reactive species serum test (TBARS).

Correlations among age, cytokines, lymphocyte subtypes, and platelet counts in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.

While autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura is mediated by autoantibodies, accumulating evidence suggests that T helper cells and the cytokines they produce also play a key role. We determined correlations among age, serum cytokine concentrations, circulating lymphocyte, and platelet counts in adult (n=19) and children (n=29) with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. Correlations between age and cytokine levels were also assessed in healthy controls (n=50).

Red wine induced modulation of vascular function: separating the role of polyphenols, ethanol, and urates.

By using red wine (RW), dealcoholized red wine (DARW), polyphenols-stripped red wine (PSRW), ethanol-water solution (ET), and water (W), the role of wine polyphenols, ethanol, and urate on vascular function was examined in humans (n = 9 per beverage) and on isolated rat aortic rings (n = 9). Healthy males randomly consumed each beverage in a cross-over design. Plasma ethanol, catechin, and urate concentrations were measured before and 30, 60 and 120 minutes after beverage intake.

Treatment of post-traumatic trabecular mashwork thrombosis and secondary glaucoma with intracameral tissue plasminogen activator in previously unrecognized sickle cell anemia.

Intracameral tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) application in a child with previously unrecognized sickle cell anemia, post-traumatic hyphema, thrombosis in trabecular mashwork and consecutive acute glaucoma showed positive results. Thirteen year-old boy, son of African father and Caucasian mother, was admitted to hospital, with symptoms of acute glaucoma and partial hyphema after right eye trauma. Visual acuity of affected eye was 0.

Comparison of protective effects of catechin applied in vitro and in vivo on ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated rat hearts.

Aim: To determine overall cardiac effects of flavonoid catechin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: After perfusing hearts at the pressure of 70 mm Hg, coronary perfusion was interrupted for 30 minutes and then re-established. There were four experimental groups, with 10 rats each.

Effect of different dialysis membranes on erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme levels and scavenger systems related to free hemoglobin in serum of hemodialysis patients.

The main objective of the present study was to analyze some aspects of the function and structure of erythrocytes with respect to hemodialysis membrane biocompatibility throughout the erythrocyte and serum antioxidant levels. The study included 36 hemodialysis patients (14 female and 22 male, age 22-79 years, median 55) treated at the Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Split Clinical Hospital in Split, and 30 control subjects matched for age and sex. Hemodialysis was performed three times a week for 4 hours with cellulose diacetate (n = 17; 6 females and 11 males) or polysulfone (n = 19; 8 females and 11 males) membranes.