Nitric oxide-producing monocyte-myeloid suppressor cells expand and accumulate in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of -infected mice.

Introduction: (Ye) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes gastrointestinal infections. The myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) constitute a cellular population with the capacity of inducing the specific suppression of T cells. Although there is evidence supporting the role of MDSCs in controlling the immune responses in several bacterial infections, its role during Ye infection has not yet been reported.

Assessing the long-stand antibody response induced by COVID-19 vaccines: A study in an educational cohort in San Luis, Argentina.

Background: Although there has developed an increased interest in the vaccines BNT1622b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech), mRNA-1273 (Moderna/NIAID), and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AstraZeneca/University of Oxford), there are still few reports describing the immune response induced by different vaccine platforms in real-world settings of low-income countries. Here, we proposed to analyse the humoral immune response elicited by the primary vaccines used in Argentina from July-December 2021.

Methods: Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Spike-RBD IgG and neutralising antibodies were assayed by ELISA in a total of 871 serum samples obtained from 376 volunteers from an educational staff.

Limited Role of Hair Cortisol and Cortisone Measurement for Detecting Cortisol Autonomy in Patients With Adrenal Incidentalomas.

Several studies demonstrated the diagnostic accuracy of hair glucocorticoid measurement in patients with overt Cushing syndrome, but few data are available for patients with adrenal incidentaloma (AI) and cortisol autonomy. The aim of our study was to assess whether measurement of 5 corticosteroid hormones with the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method in the keratin matrix is useful to stratify patients with AI by the presence of autonomous cortisol secretion [ACS] (defined as serum cortisol after 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) > 138 nmol/l) or possible ACS [PACS] (defined as serum cortisol after 1 mg DST > 50 nmol/l but ≤138 nmol/l). We analysed data of 67 AI patients (32 with cortisol autonomy) and 81 healthy subjects.

Multitarget Antioxidant NO-Donor Organic Nitrates: A Novel Approach to Overcome Nitrates Tolerance, an Ex Vivo Study.

Chronic use of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is limited by serious side effects, such as tolerance and endothelial dysfunction of coronary and resistance arteries. Although GTN is used as a drug since more than 130 years, the mechanisms of the vasodilatory effects and of tolerance development to organic nitrates are still incompletely elucidated. New synthesized organic nitrates with and without antioxidant properties were characterized for their ex vivo tolerance profile, in order to investigate the oxidative stress hypothesis of nitrate tolerance.

The impact of COVID-19 on supply decision-makers: the case of personal protective equipment in Spanish hospitals.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been recognized as a trigger for redefining supply chains at the global level, and has created an intense debate within the academic community and among policy-makers and practitioners. Among other industries, health care has been dramatically hit by the scarcity of "medical products," specifically for personal protective equipment (PPE-like), due to supply chain disruptions coupled with dramatically increased demand. We aimed to analyze how the scarcity of PPE-like during the COVID-19 pandemic has modified the behavior of decision-makers in the PPE-like supply chain at the hospital level, and to explore what changes could be implemented to cope with future PPE-like shortages.

Effects of truck transportation and slaughtering on the occurrence of prednisolone and its metabolites in cow urine, liver, and adrenal glands.

Background: The recognition of illegal administration of synthetic corticosteroids in animal husbandry has been recently challenged by the case of prednisolone, whose occasional presence in the urine of bovines under strong stressful conditions was attributed to endogenous biosynthesis, not to exogenous administration. The study of the natural stress sources possibly inducing endogenous prednisolone production represents a stimulating investigation subject. The biochemical effects of transportation and slaughtering were verified in untreated cows by studying the possible occurrence of prednisolone and its metabolites in urine, liver and adrenal glands, and the cortisol/cortisone quantification.

Comparative assessment of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression secondary to intrabursal injection of different glucocorticoids: a pilot study.

Background: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) suppression is the most common and dangerous, although often unrecognized and untreated, side effect of glucocorticoid administration. The risk and duration depend both on patient and treatment characteristics. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) currently represents the gold standard method to evaluate the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous steroids.

Urine volume as a predicting factor for furosemide clearance during continuous infusion in AKI septic shock patients on hemodiafiltration.

Background: This study assessed the contribution of intracorporeal (IC) and extracorporeal clearance (EC) of furosemide in patients with septic acute kidney injury (AKI), and the relationship between plasma concentrations and urine volume.

Methods: Prospective cohort observational study of 15 patients with septic AKI undergoing continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) divided according to urine volume (< 500 ml/12 h, Oliguria group, n = 5; > 500 ml/12 h, Diuresis group, n = 10) during continuous infusion of furosemide (120 mg/12 h) at steady-state condition. Plasma and effluent furosemide concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-mass spectrometry every 12 h for 48 h.

Development and validation of an UHPLC-MS/MS method for β-agonists quantification in human urine and application to clinical samples.

A fast analytical method for the simultaneous detection of 24 β-agonists in human urine was developed and validated. The method covers the therapeutic drugs most commonly administered, but also potentially abused β-agonists. The procedure is based on enzymatic deconjugation with β-glucuronidase followed by SPE clean up using mixed-phase cartridges with both ion-exchange and lipophilic properties.

Determination of endogenous and exogenous corticosteroids in bovine urine and effect of fighting stress during the "Batailles des Reines" on their biosynthesis.

Natural corticosteroids include two families of substances: mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. Several drugs of similar structure and biological activity have been synthesized and are currently used in the clinical practice. Beside legal pharmacological treatments, these drugs have been consistently misused in animal breeding.

Determination of Anticoagulant Rodenticides and α-Chloralose in Human Hair. Application to a Real Case.

Anticoagulant rodenticides are the largest group of poisons used to kill harmful rodents. Their fundamental mode of action consists in the inhibition of the vitamin K epoxide reductase, which causes blood-clotting alteration, ultimately leading to hemorrhagic events as the cause of death. In this study, we developed an UHPLC-MS-MS for the simultaneous determination of 10 anticoagulant hydroxycoumarine rodenticides, plus α-chloralose in human hair, with the scope of detecting potential trace of chronological poison exposure in clinical and forensic cases.

Driving under the influence of alcohol. A 5-year overview in Piedmont, Italy.

Alcohol consumption represents a major health issue worldwide and a crucial factor in road accidences. This study provides information on the prevalence of alcohol in blood testing performed on 2752 subjects involved in vehicle accidents, which occurred in Piedmont (northern Italy) between 2008 and 2013. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was determined by an ISO 17025 accredited GC/MS procedure.

Head and neck reconstruction using the superiorly based reversed-flow facial artery myomucosal flap.

Purpose: The use of myomucosal buccinator flaps in the reconstruction of oral cavity defects is well established in the international literature; however, their use for the reconstruction of defects not in the oral cavity has been largely underestimated. The purpose of this report was to describe and review the applications of the superiorly based facial artery myomucosal (FAMM) flap in head and neck reconstruction.

Materials And Methods: This study was a retrospective evaluation of 12 patients who underwent reconstruction of the palate, lip, nasal septum, and conjunctiva with reversed-flow FAMM flaps.

Neonatal mandibular distraction in a patient with Treacher Collins syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to analyze a case of mandibular distraction in a case of Treacher Collins syndrome. Mandibular distraction is an adequate surgical treatment of patients with Pierre Robin sequence and represents an alternative to tracheostomy. In severe hypoplastic cases or when three-dimensional vector control or gonial angle control is necessary, extraoral bidirectional or multidirectional devices have an advantage over intraoral devices.

Upper eyelid platinum chain placement for treating paralytic lagophthalmos.

For the definitive treatment of lagophthalmos and satisfactory rehabilitation of the affected eye, different surgical strategies have been proposed, including static or dynamic procedures. Although some of these can have good results, lid loading is now the most common technique for treating paralytic long-term lagophthalmos. Among the different types of loading, the use of a platinum chain is preferred to the use of a standard gold weight because platinum has a higher density than gold and is also more biocompatible.

Ancillary procedures in facial animation surgery.

Purpose: Facial animation surgery with neuromuscular transplants has become a standard procedure for the treatment of facial palsies. However, the forehead, periocular complex, nasal base area, and inferior lip are secondary sites that also need to be considered in the complete rehabilitation of a flaccid facial palsy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 136 ancillary procedures were performed in 49 patients between 2003 and 2013 and consisted of eyebrow suspensions (11), upper eyelid loading with a platinum chain (39), inferior palpebral suspension with fascia lata (22), nasal base suspension with fascia lata (26), and botulinum toxin injection (38).

Profile of the urinary excretion of prednisolone and its metabolites in finishing bulls and cows treated with a therapeutic schedule.

Background: Prednisolone was one of the first glucocorticoids to be synthesised, but it is still widely applied to cattle. Illegal uses of prednisolone include its uses for masking a number of diseases before animal sale and, at lower dosages for extended periods of time, for the improvement of feed efficiency and carcass characteristics. Since occasional presence of prednisolone has been detected at trace level in urine samples from untreated cattle, the Italian Ministry of Health introduced a provisional limit of 5 ng/mL to avoid false non-compliances.

Efficient removal of colistin A and B in critically ill patients undergoing CVVHDF and sorbent technologies.

Background: Colistin pharmacokinetics data are scarce regarding patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT), or even absent as in patients treated with sorbent technologies potentially capable of removing colistin by extensive absorption on many polymeric materials.

Methods: Twelve septic shock patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) undergoing RRT [continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) n = 7, coupled-plasma filtration adsorption-HF (CPFA-HF) n = 4, hemoperfusion n = 1] treated with colistin methanesulfonate at a dose of 4.5 × 10(6) U bid were studied.

Development, validation and application to real samples of a multiresidue LC-MS/MS method for determination of β2 -agonists and anabolic steroids in bovine hair.

β(2) -agonists are often abused in cattle breeding because of their effects on animal growth and meat properties. The use of β(2) -agonists as growth promoters is forbidden in the European Union (Council Directive 96/23/EC classifies them into group A of Annex I), due to their toxicity and carcinogenic properties, as for anabolic steroids, which are often administered in combination with β(2) -agonists, to promote the storage of proteins and increase muscle size. A unique confirmatory liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantitative detection of 13 β(2) -agonists and anabolic steroids plus the qualitative identification of other three analytes in bovine hair was developed and validated, according to Decision 2002/657/CE.

Reconstruction of mandibular defects using the scapular tip free flap.

Purpose: Purpose of the article is to present the use of the scapular tip free flap (STFF) for the reconstruction of oromandibular defects.

Patients: Eleven patients who underwent oromandibular reconstruction with STFF were retrospectively evaluated with regards to form and function assessing mouth opening, dietary intake, and cosmetic outcome. Donor site morbidity was evaluated using the Constant-Murley test for the shoulder unit.

Determination by LC-MS/MS of colistins A and B in plasma and ultrafiltrate from critically ill patients undergoing continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration.

Background: Colistin is a 50-year-old antibiotic, the use of which was ceased in the 70s and recently resumed as a "salvage therapy" against multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. The narrow therapeutic range of colistin makes the choice of its correct dosage crucial, and monitoring of blood concentration is occasionally necessary for critically ill patients, including intensive care patients subjected to continuous renal replacement therapy.

Methods: Two LC-MS/MS methods were developed and fully validated for the quantitative determination of colistins A and B in plasma and dialysis ultrafiltrate (UF) samples, ultimately arising from 4 patients undergoing continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF).

Determination of prednisolone metabolites in beef cattle.

Prednisolone is a synthetic corticosteroid acting on both hydrosaline balance and metabolism that is liable to fraudulent administration to meat-producing animals for growth-promoting purposes. Its use outside strict therapeutic control and prescription is banned by the European legislation, but official controls are hampered by its negligible direct excretion into the urinary matrix. Recent studies reported on a potential endogenous origin of prednisolone in animals subjected to stressful conditions, accounting for its occasional detection in control urines.

Huge desmoplastic fibroma of the paediatric mandible: surgical considerations and follow-up in three cases.

The desmoplastic fibroma is a rare locally aggressive spindle-cell proliferation made up of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts immersed in a dense collagenic stroma. Head and neck localisation of desmoplastic fibromas is even more rare and the literature is limited to small case series and reviews. A comprehensive review of the English literature from 1968 to 2011 revealed only 79 cases of mandibular desmoplastic fibromas and only 18 (22%) in patients under 4 years of age.

Mandibular resection and reconstruction in the management of extensive ameloblastoma.

Purpose: To present our experience with the management of 31 extensive mandibular ameloblastomas treated with segmental mandibulectomy, reconstruction with free fibula or iliac crest flap, and rehabilitation with immediate or delayed endosteal dental implants.

Patients And Methods: The study sample comprised 31 patients with histologically confirmed mandibular ameloblastomas. Primary ameloblastomas were treated in 23 patients, and recurrent ameloblastomas affected 8 patients.