Bilateral decompressive craniectomy for refractory intracranial hypertension in a child with severe ITP-related intracerebral haemorrhage.

We report a 13-month-old infant who developed acutely elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) as a result of a spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), secondary to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Her ICP remained severely elevated despite aggressive medical measures, with persistent obtundation, right hemiparesis and a dilated left pupil. Bilateral decompressive craniectomies (DCs) were performed, which resulted in a rapid decline in ICP.

Simultaneous determination of losartan and hydrochlorothiazide in human plasma by LC/MS/MS with electrospray ionization and its application to pharmacokinetics.

A method based on a simple liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with negative ion electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of losartan (LOS) and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in human plasma, using valsartan (VAL) and chlorthalidone (CHTD) as an internal standard, respectively. The acquisition was performed in multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) and the limit of quantification was 4 ng/mL for both LOS and HCTZ. The method was linear in the studied range (4-800 ng/mL for LOS and 4-500 ng/mL for HCTZ).

Arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides (AXOS) reduce preneoplastic lesions in the colon of rats treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH).

Background: Prebiotics are non-digestible compounds that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of resident colonic bacteria in the gut. Reported beneficial effects of prebiotics include reduced gut infections, better absorption of minerals, and notably, antitumorigenic effects. Arabinoxylan (AX)-oligosaccharides (AXOS) have been suggested to exert prebiotic effects in the gut, but their effect on colon carcinogenesis has not been studied so far.

Reduction of colonic inflammation in HLA-B27 transgenic rats by feeding Marie Ménard apples, rich in polyphenols.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are immunomediated ailments affecting millions of individuals. Although diet is regarded as an important factor influencing IBD, there are no accepted dietary recommendations presently available. We administered 7.

Pretransplant positivity for circulating thyroid antibodies and graft survival in patients undergoing kidney transplant.

Background: Thyroid disturbances are common in kidney graft recipients and they may influence graft function. CXC chemokine ligand 10 plays a role in both autoimmune thyroiditis and graft rejection. Thyroid antibody (Ab) positivity has been regarded as a marker of imbalance of the immune system.

ABCB1 genotypes predict cyclosporine-related adverse events and kidney allograft outcome.

Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a substrate of P-glycoprotein, an efflux transporter encoded by the ABCB1 gene. Compared with carriers of the wild-type gene, carriers of T allelic variants in exons 21 or 26 have reduced P-glycoprotein activity and, secondarily, increased intracellular concentration of CsA; therefore, carriers of T variants might be at increased risk for CsA-related adverse events. We evaluated the associations between ABCB1 genotypes (in exons 12, 21, and 26) and CsA-related outcomes in 147 renal transplant recipients who were receiving CsA-based immunosuppression and were included in the Mycophenolate Steroids Sparing study.

Posttransplant proteinuria associated with everolimus.

Anti-mTOR may induce proteinuria when utilized after renal transplantation. Little is known about the pathogenesis and composition of proteinuria. To clarify this unresolved aspect, we analyzed urinary protein composition utilizing an integrated proteomics approach, including quantitative assays, 2-dimensional electrophoresis, MALDI-TOF, and Western blots among 48 renal transplant recipients treated with everolimus (EVL; n = 31) or enteric-coated mycophenolic acid (EC-MPA; n = 17).

Preemptive therapy for the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in renal transplant recipients: our preliminary experience.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease represents an important cause of morbidity in renal transplant recipients. We report our preliminary evaluation of the efficacy and security of preemptive therapy to manage renal transplant recipients with evidence of active CMV replication.

Methods: Preemptive therapy with gancyclovir and/or valgancyclovir (VGCV) was recently substituted for CMV antiviral prophylaxis at our institution.

Preemptive cadaveric renal transplantation: fairness and utility in the case of high donation rate-pilot experience of Tuscany region.

Preemptive kidney transplantation is performed before the initiation of chronic dialysis. Preemptive transplantation is the best treatment modality for patients reaching end-stage renal disease. The Tuscany region has experienced, in the last years, a marked increase in donation rate.

Mucin-depleted foci show strong activation of inflammatory markers in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced carcinogenesis and are promoted by the inflammatory agent sodium dextran sulfate.

Mucin-depleted foci (MDF), formed by dysplastic crypts devoid of mucins, have been identified in the colon of carcinogen-treated rodents and in humans at high risk for colon cancer. The lack of the protective layer of mucus may cause inflammation which has been linked to colon carcinogenesis, therefore, the expression of markers such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) and macrophage infiltration was studied with immunohistochemistry (IH) in MDF harvested from F344 rats treated with the colon carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The same determinations were performed in aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and, at a later time point, in tumours.

Geographical prevalence, risk factors and impact of hepatitis B and C after renal transplantation.

Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) virus infections are major risk factors affecting long-term morbidity and mortality after renal transplantation. Hepatitis prevalence is subject to geographical variations.

Objective: To compare and analyze the geographical prevalence, risk factors and impact of HBV and HCV infection in multinational cohorts of renal transplant recipients.

TTP/HUS: observational studies generate hypotheses that lead to randomized controlled trials.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)/hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a disease syndrome, and its history exemplifies how small observational studies lead to hypotheses that spawn randomized control trials (RCTs). Moschowitz's original case report coupled with the case findings of Bukowski and Byrne led to the RCT of Rock and the Canadian Apheresis Group that proved plasma exchange was superior to plasma infusion for the treatment of adults with TTP/HUS. Our single case report of continuous plasma exchange coupled with the observations about the pathogenic role of von Willebrand multimer protease of Tsai and Furlan strengthened by a 25-year observational study of plasma exchange treatment for TTP/HUS has led to a proposal to initiate a new RCT.

Risk of pregnancy-related hypertension within five years of exposure to bacteria-contaminated drinking water.

Exposure to Escherichia coli O157:H7 may result in subclinical kidney injury manifesting as hypertension during pregnancy. We evaluated the risk of pregnancy-related hypertension (PRH) among previously healthy females from the Walkerton Health Study, Canada (2002-6), who conceived within five years of exposure to bacteria-contaminated drinking water. Ontario Ministry of Health Antenatal forms were used to determine outcomes and risk factors.

Relationship between Escherichia coli O157:H7 and diabetes mellitus.

Ingestion of Escherichia coli O157:H7 can cause a spectrum of acute illness, ranging from overt hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), to gastroenteritis with bloody diarrhea, to no symptoms. This organism has been responsible for dozens of outbreaks of gastroenteritis and HUS in industrialized nations, and thus is a major public health concern. Although the acute effects of E.

Renal prognosis of toxigenic Escherichia coli infection.

There is a spectrum of acute illness for individuals who ingest toxigenic Escherichia coli, ranging from no symptoms to self-limited gastroenteritis, to full acute hemolytic uremic syndrome. Knowledge of the long-term prognosis of acute toxigenic E. coli ingestion, based on the presentation of acute illness, is important for patient counseling and follow-up.

Factors that led to the Walkerton tragedy.

In May 2000, bacterial contamination of municipal water in Walkerton, Ontario, resulted in the worst public health disaster involving municipal water in Canadian history. At least seven people died and 2300 became ill. A public inquiry led by judge Dennis O'Connor examined the events and delineated the causes of the outbreak, including physical causes, the role of the public utilities operators, the public utilities commissioners, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and the provincial government.

Identification of mucin depleted foci in the human colon.

Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) originally described in rodents treated with colon-specific carcinogens have been identified also in humans at high risk of colon cancer (CRC) and are extensively used as cancer biomarkers. However, studies documenting the heterogeneity of ACF have questioned their precancerous nature. Recently, we described dysplastic foci depleted of mucins (MDF) in the colon of rats treated with colon-specific carcinogens.

Analysis of Roman age wall paintings found in Pordenone, Trieste and Montegrotto.

The aim of the present work is the study of many fragments of wall painting from archaeological excavations in three different Roman age sites dating back to the I Century before Common Era: Pordenone (località Torre); Trieste (Crosada) and Padova (Montegrotto). The techniques used were optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), equipped with a EDS microanalysis detector, X-rays powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The identified pigments were: cinnabar, hematite, celadonite, glauconite, cuprorivaite (Egyptian blue), yellow and red ochre, calcite, limonite, coal black.

Elevated blood pressure in relation to overweight and obesity among children in a rural Canadian community.

Objective: Childhood overweight and obesity may result in premature onset of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension. Rural populations in North America may be at increased risk for overweight. We evaluated whether overweight and obesity were associated with prehypertension and hypertension in a well-characterized population of children in rural Canada.