Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3672/1410013
Immunobiology of S100A8 and S100A9 Proteins and Their Role in Acute Inflammation and Sepsis
Mohamed Elgazzar
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: October 16, 2015
During the stress-mediated response to infection and tissue injury, their levels markedly increase and contribute to acute and chronic inflammatory disorders as cell autonomous and non-autonomous activators of toll-like receptors (TLRs). There is controversy, however, whether S100A8 and S100A9 are pathogenic or protective during infection and inflammation. Some studies suggest that S100A8 and S100A9 proteins function extracellularly to amplify TLR-mediated responses, thereby increasing inflammat...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2474-3674/1510009
High Flow Conditioned Oxygen Therapy for Prevention of Reintubation in Critically Ill Patients: A Preliminary Cohort Study
Gonzalo Hernandez, Concepcion Vaquero Collado, Susana Garcia Plaza, Ana Villasclaras Pacheco, Candido Pardo Rey, Eugenia de la Fuente O'Connor, Rafael Cuena, Paloma Gonzalez Arenas, Rafael Fernandez
Article Type: Original Research Article | First Published: December 31, 2015
Oxygen delivery after extubation is the cornerstone treatment to maintain adequate oxygenation and avoid reintubation. Oxygen is usually delivered through low-flow nasal prongs; when necessary, flow is increased or patients are switched to a high-flow face mask. Some other interventions after extubation focus on specific causes of reintubation; for example, high risk patients are administered prophylactic corticosteroids before planned extubation to prevent laryngeal edema and patients with hype...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-570X/1410020
Hypophosphatasia and Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Therapeutic Promise
Maria Teresa Valenti, Luca Dalle Carbonare and Monica Mottes
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: January 29, 2016
Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is due to mutations in ALPL gene which encodes the tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase isozyme (TNSALP). Defective/inactive TNSALP causes an increased concentration of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) in bone matrix that impairs bone mineralization. The accumulation of extracellular PPi observed in HPP causes impairment in bone mineralization process and leads to a disturbance of calcium and Pi homeostasis. The pathogenesis of bone hypomineralization in HPP is relatively...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-570X/1410019
Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in Cardiovascular Disease
May Al-Nbaheen
Article Type: Review Article | First Published: January 13, 2016
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from different adult tissues and can be differentiated along stromal lineages (i.e. osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes). Recent data in the literature provided evidence that MSCs can also be differentiated in vitro into additional cell types, such as endothelial cells. In our studies we showed the endothelial differentiation and angiogenic potential of human neonatal foreskin derived stromal cells (hNSSCs) both in vitro and in vivo....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410086
Chronic Stimulant Use: An Upcoming Cause of Neurocognitive Disorder in Later Life?
Anne Jacobs, Sonja C. Stalpers-Konijnenburg, Cornelis A. de Jong and Radboud M. Marijnissen
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: January 26, 2016
A 58-year-old woman was admitted to a psychiatric ward because of a psychotic episode. Psychiatric history revealed chronic daily stimulant use for more than thirty years, specifically cocaine, amphetamine and nicotine. She also suffered from a psychotic episode at the age of 23 after the death of a child. Medical history did not report any somatic comorbidities....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410085
Unusual Early Aortic Valve Bioprosthesis Failure due to Fungal Infection
Yolanda Carrascal, Gregorio Laguna and Nuria Arce
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: January 23, 2016
We report an early failure of a 19 mm mitroflow A12 aortic pericardial bioprosthetic valve. We excluded all described causes related with early bioprosthesis calcification and degeneration. Neither inflammatory cells nor bacterial colonization were identified in microscopic analysis, but fungal hyphae were observed in the tissue sections from both leaflets, suggesting sub-clinical fungal endocarditis, which might have contributed to early failure....
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410084
Therapeutic Efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections in Treating Chronic High Hamstring Tendinopathy
Jeffrey Krauss, Ryan Nugent, Marko Bodor and Michael Fredericson
Article Type: Original Research Article | First Published: January 23, 2016
Objective: To determine whether ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections reduce pain and improve function in patients with chronic high hamstring tendinopathy. Design: Prospective case-control study in which patients who have failed treatment serve as their own controls. Setting: Patients were recruited through two sports medicine clinics, one academically based and the other in a community medical center. Injections were performed by a single practitioner. Patients: 14 adult pati...
Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-3656/1410083
Is Cock-up Splint the Right Choice for All of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Patients? A Case Report
Mahdi Hadidi, Mohammad-Reza Hadian, Ali Arab Kheradmand, Mahmood Farzan, Hamidreza Monsef, Maryam-Raheleh Dadras, Saeed Talebian and Gholam Reza Olyaei
Article Type: Case Report | First Published: January 12, 2016
A fifty-year-old woman was the exceptional one who her clinical signs and symptoms was deteriorated after the administration of splinting. She showed deterioration of clinical and electrophysiological parameters after two weeks of using splint combined with steroid. After removing the splint, the patient showed relief of subsequent signs and symptoms....