Thrombin generation in subjects with lupus anticoagulant without prior thrombosis or gestational morbidities.

BACKGROUND: Lupus anticoagulant (LA) can be a cause of thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidities, producing antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). An increase in thrombin generation (TG) is correlated with prothrombotic status. Several changes in TG-derived parameters have been reported in APS patients. OBJECTIVES: Evaluate whether the TG phenotype of APS can also be described in LA subjects without clinical manifestations of APS, and to investigate the possible influence of both LA potency and antiphospholipid (aPL) profile on it. RESULTS: TG was analyzed in 153 cases of LA and 41 healthy controls. We have observed prolongation of both lag time (3.7 min vs 2.32 min, p < 0.001) and time to peak (6.48 min vs 5.27 min, p < 0.001), increased peak height (221.7 nM vs 182.7 nM, p < 0.001), slightly higher ETP (221.7 nM·min vs 182.7 nM·min, p = 0.041), and higher velocity index (100.7 nM/min vs 74.53 nM/min, p = 0.001) in LA subjects compared to controls. After adding thrombomodulin (TM), ETP%inh was significantly lower in LA group (37.90% vs 59.90%, p < 0.001) showing resistance to TM/activated protein C (APC). Significant differences were found in lag time, time to peak and ETP%inh according to the potency and aPL profile. CONCLUSIONS: Previously described differences in TG-derived parameters in APS patients have been confirmed in incidental LA subjects: prolonged lag time and time to peak, slightly higher ETP, higher peak height, and less sensitivity to TM/APC. High LA potency and triple-positive aPL profile enhance differences in lag time, time to peak and, especially, increase APC resistance, but no effect in ETP was observed.

Management of Eisenmenger syndrome in pregnancy with sildenafil and L-arginine.

BACKGROUND: Eisenmenger syndrome in pregnancy may be a life-threatening disease despite recent additions to the treatment options. CASE: We present a woman with severe pulmonary hypertension due to Eisenmenger syndrome treated during pregnancy and delivery and postpartum with L-arginine and sildenafil to enhance the nitric oxide pathway. This combination was associated with significant improvement in the mother's clinical and hemodynamic condition and fetal well-being. CONCLUSION: The concomitant use of sildenafil and L-arginine for the management of pulmonary hypertension in pregnancy, combined with multidisciplinary care, permitted a good outcome for the mother and her infant.

Embedded proteins and sacrificial bonds provide the strong adhesive properties of gastroliths.

The adhesive properties of gastroliths from a freshwater crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) were quantified by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) between heavily demineralized gastrolith microparticles and gastrolith substrates of different composition. Combined AFM and transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that the sequential detachment and large adhesion energies that characterise the adhesive behaviour of a native gastrolith substrate are dominated by sacrificial bonds between chitin fibres and between chitin fibres and CaCO(3). The sacrificial bonds were shown to be strongly related to the gastrolith proteins and when the majority of these proteins were removed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), the sequential detachment disappeared and the adhesive energy was reduced by more than two orders of magnitude.

Improving the brain delivery of gold nanoparticles by conjugation with an amphipathic peptide.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have promising applications for drug delivery as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of several pathologies, such as those related to the CNS. However, GNPs are retained in a number of organs, such as the liver and spleen. Owing to their negative charge and/or processes of opsonization, GNPs are retained by the reticuloendothelial system, thereby decreasing their delivery to the brain. It is therefore crucial to modify the nanoparticle surface in order to increase its lipophilicity and reduce its negative charge, thus achieving enhanced delivery to the brain. RESULTS: In this article, we have shown that conjugation of 12 nm GNPs with the amphipathic peptide CLPFFD increases the in vivo penetration of these particles to the rat brain. The C(GNP)-LPFFD conjugates showed a smaller negative charge and a greater hydrophobic character than citrate-capped GNPs of the same size. We administered intraperitoneal injections of citrate GNPs and C(GNP)-LPFFD in rats, and determined the gold content in the tissues by neutron activation. Compared with citrate GNPs, the C(GNP)-LPFFD conjugate improved the delivery to the brain, increasing the concentration of gold by fourfold, while simultaneously reducing its retention by the spleen 1 and 2 h after injection. At 24 h, the conjugate was partially cleared from the brain, and mainly accumulated in the liver. The C(GNP)-LPFFD did not alter the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, and had no effect on cell viability.

Evaluación del proceso de reintegro socio-laboral en personas que han sufrido accidentes del trabajo que fueron atendidas en terapia ocupacional del Hospital del Trabajador Santiago / Evaluation of the social and work reincorporation proces of people who have sufered labour acidents and who were treated at the Ocupational Therapy unit of the Workers Hospital in Santiago

El presente artículo corresponde a una síntesis de los resultados más relevantes obtenidos a partir del estudio denominado Nivel de participación sociolaboral y satisfacción con aspectos de su vida en personas con disminución de su capacidad de ganancia, como consecuencia de un accidente del trabajo, que han recibido apoyos personales y contextuales como parte de un proceso de rehabilitación en el Hospital del Trabajador Santiago. Estudio de Seguimiento 2002-2004.Corresponde a un diseño descriptivo no experimental, de carácter cuantitativo, que incorpora una perspectiva cualitativa. La población estudiada corresponde a 82 personas atendidas en Terapia Ocupacional, evaluadas entre el año 2002 y 2004 con una pérdida de ganancia sobre un 32.5 por ciento. Los resultados muestran que el 89 por ciento de la población ha vuelto a trabajar, encontrándose el 66,7 por ciento plena o medianamente satisfecho con su proceso de reintegro laboral. En el 72.4 por ciento de quienes se reintegran, su jefatura señala que su desempeño se ha mantenido o mejorado. Cabe destacar que el 92 por ciento de trabajadores en los que se efectuó Visitas a Empresas, ya sea para evaluar el puesto de trabajo o efectuar una evaluación en situación real, tiene resultados exitosos, lo que permite avalar técnicas propias del modelo de intervención. Los aspectos relevantes que impactan en la percepción de calidad de vida son las posibilidades para ejercer roles y las interferencias de las secuelas en las relaciones interpersonales.

This item is a summary of the most relevant results obtained from the study called Level of social and labor participation and satisfaction with aspects of life in people with reduced earning capacity as a result of an labor accident, that have received personal and contextual support as part of a rehabilitation process in the Workers’ Hospital of Santiago. Monitoring Survey 2002-2004. It represents a descriptive non-experimental design, quantitative and incorporating a qualitative perspective. The population studied 82people treated in Occupational Therapy, evaluated between 2002 and 2004 with a loss of profit on 32.5 percent. The results show that 89 percent of the population has returned to work, being 66.7 percent fully or fairly satisfied with their job reinstatement process. In 72.4 percent of those returning, their boss pointed out that his performance has been maintained or improved. It is noteworthy that 92 percent of workers that took place in the Company Visits, to assess whether the job position or making a real situation assessment, had successful results, allowing endorse own techniques of the intervention model. Relevant aspects that impact on the perception of quality of life are the chance to practice roles and interference in the aftermath of interpersonal relationships.