ABSTRACT
Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a life-threatening disorder. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) rapidly degrades ultra-large von Willebrand factor multimers by disrupting the disulfide bonds. We report a series of twelve consecutive patients diagnosed with acquired TTP successfully treated with high-dose NAC (150 mg/kg/day) in combination with plasma exchange and steroids. Eight patients also received rituximab. Two patients presented refractory TTP. All patients achieved a quick clinical response in a median time of 5.5 days after starting NAC and are alive after a median follow-up of 29 months. The treatment was feasible and well tolerated. These data provide further evidence of the potential benefit and safety of adding NAC to the standard of care.
Subject(s)
Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic , Humans , Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic/diagnosis , Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic/drug therapy , ADAMTS13 Protein , Rituximab/therapeutic use , Plasma Exchange , Acetylcysteine/therapeutic useABSTRACT
The impact of nanotechnology in the field of agricultural sciences creates the need to study in greater detail the effect of products offering nanoparticles for application in plant species of agricultural interest. The objective of this study was to determine the response of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) in vitro to different concentrations of AgNPs (silver nanoparticles), as well as to characterize and identify their absorption, translocation and accumulation mechanisms. Nodal segments of stevia grown in MS medium supplemented with AgNPs (0,12.5, 25, 50,100 and 200 mg L-1) were used. After 30 days of in vitro shoot proliferation, the number of shoots per explant, shoot length, chlorophyll content, dry matter content and the metallic silver (Ag) content of the plants were quantified. In addition, characterization, transport and accumulation of silver nanoparticles were performed by microscopic analysis. AgNPs were shown to be present in epidermal stem cells, within vascular bundles and in intermembrane spaces. In leaves, they were observed in ribs and stomata. The current and future use of AgNPs in agricultural sciences opens up the possibility of studying their effects on different plant species.
Subject(s)
Metal Nanoparticles , Silver/pharmacology , Stevia/metabolism , Biological Transport , Chlorophyll/metabolism , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Iron/metabolism , Magnesium/metabolism , Microscopy, Electron , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Nitrogen/metabolism , Particle Size , Plant Leaves/drug effects , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Plant Leaves/ultrastructure , Plant Shoots/drug effects , Plant Shoots/growth & development , Plant Shoots/metabolism , Plant Shoots/ultrastructure , Silver/administration & dosage , Silver/metabolism , Stevia/drug effects , Stevia/ultrastructure , Tissue Culture TechniquesABSTRACT
People make social inferences without intentions, awareness, or effort, i.e., spontaneously. We review recent findings on spontaneous social inferences (especially traits, goals, and causes) and closely related phenomena. We then describe current thinking on some of the most relevant processes, implicit knowledge, and theories. These include automatic and controlled processes and their interplay; embodied cognition, including mimicry; and associative versus rule-based processes. Implicit knowledge includes adult folk theories, conditions of personhood, self-knowledge to simulate others, and cultural and social class differences. Implicit theories concern Bayesian networks, recent attribution research, and questions about the utility of the disposition-situation dichotomy. Developmental research provides new insights. Spontaneous social inferences include a growing array of phenomena, but they have been insufficiently linked to other phenomena and theories. We hope the links suggested in this review begin to remedy this.