ß-Tricalcium Phosphate-Modified Aerogel Containing PVA/Chitosan Hybrid Nanospun Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration.

Electrospinning has recently been recognized as a potential method for use in biomedical applications such as nanofiber-based drug delivery or tissue engineering scaffolds. The present study aimed to demonstrate the electrospinning preparation and suitability of ß-tricalcium phosphate-modified aerogel containing polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan fibrous meshes (BTCP-AE-FMs) for bone regeneration under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The mesh physicochemical properties included a 147 ± 50 nm fibrous structure, in aqueous media the contact angles were 64.1 ± 1.7°, and it released Ca, P, and Si. The viability of dental pulp stem cells on the BTCP-AE-FM was proven by an alamarBlue assay and with a scanning electron microscope. Critical-size calvarial defects in rats were performed as in vivo experiments to investigate the influence of meshes on bone regeneration. PET imaging using 18F-sodium fluoride standardized uptake values (SUVs) detected 7.40 ± 1.03 using polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan fibrous meshes (FMs) while 10.72 ± 1.11 with BTCP-AE-FMs after 6 months. New bone formations were confirmed by histological analysis. Despite a slight change in the morphology of the mesh because of cross-linking, the BTCP-AE-FM basically retained its fibrous, porous structure and hydrophilic and biocompatible character. Our experiments proved that hybrid nanospun scaffold composite mesh could be a new experimental bone substitute bioactive material in future medical practice.

[Areas and challenges of oncopsychological rehabilitation]. / Az onkopszichológiai rehabilitáció területei és kihívásai.

Patients with cancer present a number of different difficulties that adversely affect their health care and recovery (e.g. poor communication with physicians, lack of knowledge about their illness and its management, financial problems). Furthermore, mental health problems, such as distress, depression and anxiety, are common amongst patients with cancer. These mental health problems are additional contributors to functional impairment in carrying out family, work, and other social roles, poor adherence to medical treatments, and adverse medical outcomes. Oncopsychosocial rehabilitation aims to optimize the possibilities of medical health care through psychological interventions by helping cancer patients and their families and/or health care workers with the management of the psychological and social aspects of the illness. Oncopsychosocial rehabilitation includes all psychosocial interventions that are designed to positively influence patient psychosocial adaptation and adjustment to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Oncopsychological rehabilitation could also manage cancer related distress and other psychosocial problems with specific types of treatments or interventions including prevention, relaxation techniques, structured psychoeducational interventions including sexual information and/or preparation for surgery, and various methods of psychotherapy.

[Branchiogen cyst at unusual age and in rare localization. A case report]. / oBranchiogén ciszta elofordulása szokatlan életkorban, ritka lokalizációban. Esetismertetés.

Branchiogen anomalies represent a heterogeneous group of developmental abnormalities, they arise from incomplete obliteration of branchial clefts and pouches during embriogenesis. Clinically they can present as a cyst, fistula or sinus. Second cleft lesions account for 95% of the branchial anomalies. Second branchial cleft cysts are usually located in the neck, along the anterior border of the stenocleidomastoid muscle, but they can be anywhere along the course of the second branchial fistula from the tonsillar fossa to the supraclavicular region. Their presence in the nasopharynx is extremely rare. Ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for diagnosis. Definitive treatment is surgical excision, these lesions do not regress spontaneously and often result recurrent infections. A 7 month old infant applied to a pediatrician with gastrointestinal viral infection. During examination a cystic mass was discovered in the right lateral nasopharyngeal wall, the lesion extended to the oropharynx. Marsupialisation was performed via transoral approach. In case of cystic lesion in the lateral epipharynx, branchial cleft cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

[Clinical evaluation of the renin-aldosterone system: comparison of two methods in different clinical conditions]. / A renin-aldoszteron rendszer vizsgálata két módszerrel különbözo klinikai állapotokban.

INTRODUCTION: Measurement of plasma aldosterone/renin ratio is the key step in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. AIM: The aim of the authors was to analyze and compare the diagnostic utility of plasma aldosterone/renin activity and plasma aldosterone/renin concentration ratios. METHODS: Plasma aldosterone and plasma renin activity were determined by radioimmunoassays and plasma renin concentration was measured by immunoradiometric assay in 134 subjects (80 women and 54 men, aged 46±15.5 years) including 49 healthy blood donors (control group), 59 patients with hypertension (25 treated and 34 untreated) and 26 patients with incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas. RESULTS: There was a weak correlation (r = 0.59) between plasma renin activity and plasma renin concentration in the lower range (plasma renin activity, 0.63±0.41 ng/ml/h; plasma renin concentration, 8.1±4.9 ng/l). Considering the cut-off value of plasma aldosterone/renin ratios determined in controls (plasma aldosterone/renin activity ratio, 30 ng/dl/ng/ml/h; plasma aldosterone/renin concentration ratio, 3.0 ng/dl/ng/l), high proportion of falsely positive results were found among patients on beta-receptor blocker therapy (plasma aldosterone/renin activity ratio, 22.2%; plasma aldosterone/renin concentration ratio, 44.4%) CONCLUSION: The widely used plasma aldosterone/renin activity ratio can only be replaced with plasma aldosterone/renin concentration ratio with precaution on different clinical conditions.

[Vitamin D supply among healthy blood donors in Vas County, Hungary]. / D-vitamin-ellátottság felmérése Vas megye egészséges véradói körében.

INTRODUCTION: There is growing evidence showing the importance of adequate vitamin D supply for preserving health. AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the vitamin D supply among healthy blood donors and healthy elderly subjects in County Vas, Hungary. METHODS: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone, calcium and albumin (Cobas, Modular, Roche), as well as serum alfa-2-globulin concentrations (Gelelfo, Interlab) were determined in 178 serum samples (68 men, 110 women, 41 were taking oral contraceptives). The results were analysed according to sex and age (younger and older than 43 years), and the impact of oral contraceptive use was also taken into consideration. RESULTS: Deficiency and insufficiency in vitamin D levels were detected in 9.6% and 32% of the studied subjects, respectively, whereas sufficient vitamin D levels were present in 58.4% of the subjects. 63% of the older and 41.2% of the younger group had suboptimal vitamin-D supply (p < 0.01). In women taking oral contraceptives serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and alfa-2-globulin levels were significantly higher, whereas serum albumin and calcium levels were lower than in the control group. There was no difference in serum intact parathyroid hormone concentration between oral contraceptive users and non-users. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of suboptimal vitamin D supply is significant, although less frequent than that in literature reports. In women taking oral contraceptives, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were higher, but serum intact parathyroid hormone concentrations were not decreased suggesting that the increased 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels may be the consequence of oestrogen-induced alterations of serum protein fractions.

Analytical, experimental and clinical aspects of total 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement by two ligand assays are differentially biased by disease-related factors.

BACKGROUND: Pathological concentrations of plasma proteins may confound the results of binding assays. We compared two routinely used total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [t-25(OH)D] methods: a chemiluminescence-immuno-(CLIA) and an electro-chemiluminescence-protein-binding-(ECLPBA) assay. METHODS: Two sub-studies were performed: 1) In an "in vitro" study, exogenous albumin was added to pools of patients' sera with low albumin levels; and 2) In "ex vivo" studies of Cohort_1: sera of hospitalized patients with low albumin levels, and of healthy controls; and of Cohort_2: outpatients with chronic kidney disease in pre-dialysis stage, or on peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis were investigated by the routine and LC_MS/MS methods. RESULTS: When increasing albumin concentrations were "in vitro" added, t-25(OH)D levels were overestimated by ECLPBA, and underestimated by CLIA. In patients' sera, positive correlations were detected between t-25(OH)D-vitamin D binding protein (DBP) values by both routine methods, and between t-25(OH)D-albumin values by all three methods. Much higher t-25(OH)D was measured by LC_MS/MS in all subgroups. When altering albumin levels with constant DBP concentration, the "in vitro" experiment revealed a higher sensitivity of ECLPBA. The "ex vivo" measurements demonstrated clinically relevant differences between the routine methods. CONCLUSION: Both routine methods are dependent of the matrix effect in hospitalized patients, which is predicted by the DBP/Albumin ratios. In hemodialysis, ECLPBA is recommended because its outcomes differ less from those of LC_MS/MS. The results of LC_MS/MS are reliable, but not routinely available. A guidance would be valuable on how levels measured by the binding methods differ from those by LC-MS/MS in various clinical conditions.

The Effect of Heat Treatment of ß-Tricalcium Phosphate-Containing Silica-Based Bioactive Aerogels on the Cellular Metabolism and Proliferation of MG63 Cells.

ß-Tricalcium phosphate was combined with silica aerogel in composites prepared using the sol-gel technique and supercritical drying. The materials were used in this study to check their biological activity and bone regeneration potential with MG63 cell experiments. The composites were sintered in 100 °C steps in the range of 500-1000 °C. Their mechanical properties, porosities, and solubility were determined as a function of sintering temperature. Dissolution studies revealed that the released Ca-/P molar ratios appeared to be in the optimal range to support bone tissue induction. Cell viability, ALP activity, and type I collagen gene expression results all suggested that the sintering of the compound at approximately 700-800 °C as a scaffold could be more powerful in vivo to facilitate bone formation within a bone defect, compared to that documented previously by our research team. We did not observe any detrimental effect on cell viability. Both the alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity and the type I collagen gene expression were significantly higher compared with the control and the other aerogels heat-treated at different temperatures. The mesoporous silica-based aerogel composites containing ß-tricalcium phosphate particles treated at temperatures lower than 1000 °C produced a positive effect on the osteoblastic activity of MG63 cells. An in vivo 6 month-long follow-up study of the mechanically strongest 1000 °C sample in rat calvaria experiments provided proof of a complete remodeling of the bone.

[Significance of simultaneous measurement of serum thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody during the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma]. / Szérumtireoglobulin és tireoglobulin-antitest együttes meghatározásának jelentosége a differenciált pajzsmirigy-karcinómás betegek gondozása során.

Serum thyroglobulin is an essential marker during the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Demonstration of the total absence of thyroglobulin is not possible by immunoanalytic methods if thyroglobulin antibody is present in serum samples that occur in almost 20% of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Therefore, current guidelines recommend estimation of thyroglobulin levels only if quantitative level of thyroglobulin antibody is known. However, normal thyroglobulin antibody level fails to exclude interference with the antibody, because antibody concentration within the normal range may interfere with the thyroglobulin assay. In this respect recommendations are not consistent because they distinguish only occasionally cases with normal and those with non-detectable serum thyroglobulin level. In addition, the possible impact of normal thyroglobulin antibody level on the thyroglobulin assay has not been entirely explored. Authors review literature data and current guidelines on the analytical and preanalytical limitations of the thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody measurements. On the basis of their own studies, authors make recommendation for improvement of the diagnostic accuracy of the thyroglobulin measurement.

[Psychological phenomena and symptoms in active and complex oncology care: challenges of interventions and rehabilitation opportunities.] / Pszichológiai jelenségek és tünetek, illetve az onkopszichológiai intervenciók lehetoségei a komprehenzív onkológiai ellátás során.

According to research, almost every second oncology patient experiences intense distress during their oncology treatment. The development of new medical treatment options in cancer care allows longer survival for cancer patients. Because of this, quality of life becomes an increasingly important factor during treatments. Psycho-oncological interventions include all psychosocial interventions that are designed to positively influence the patient's psychosocial adaptation and adjustment to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Interventions also promote rehabilitation progress and help the emotional integration of disease-related crisis and trauma. Psycho-oncological therapies are supposed to manage cancer-related distress and other psychosocial problems by specific types of treatments or interventions. It is crucial for the medical system to deal with the psychosocial aspects of cancer care in order to identify and deal with patients' needs for better compliance and adherence to treatment. The key of personalized holistic rehabilitation is multidisciplinary teamwork during the whole healing process: sharing the emotional experience also helps to prevent healthcare workers' burnout.

Heat injury-induced drop of the noxious heat threshold measured with an increasing-temperature water bath: a novel rat thermal hyperalgesia model.

Conventional thermonociceptive tests are based on measurement of the latency of nocifensive reactions evoked by constant, suprathreshold heat stimuli. In the present study, a novel, increasing-temperature water bath was developed for determination of the noxious heat threshold temperature of lightly restrained conscious rats. One of the hindpaws of a rat was immersed into the water bath whose temperature was increased from 30 degrees C at a rate of 24 degrees C/min until the animal withdrew its hindpaw from the water. The corresponding bath temperature was considered as behavioural noxious heat threshold. The heat threshold of untreated rats was 43.5+/-0.4 degrees C (n=10) and was reproducible upon repeated measurements at intervals of 10 min for 60 min. Thermal hyperalgesia was induced by mild heat injury (51 degrees C water for 20 s) which led to a 7-8 degrees C decrease of the noxious heat threshold. Thermal hyperalgesia was detected at least for 60 min after heat injury. Morphine, diclofenac, ibuprofen and paracetamol administered intraperitoneally 20 min after heat injury dose-dependently inhibited the drop of heat threshold with minimum effective doses of 0.3, 0.3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, and ED(50) values of 0.5, 3, 18 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Thermal hyperalgesia was also decreased by intraplantar treatment with morphine (10 microg), diclofenac (10 microg) or ibuprofen (100 microg). In conclusion, the mild heat injury-induced drop of the noxious heat threshold measured with the increasing-temperature water bath is a novel thermal hyperalgesia model highly sensitive to both opioid and non-opioid analgesics upon systemic or local administration.

Serum thyroglobulin antibody levels within or near to the reference range may interfere with thyroglobulin measurement.

High concentration of thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) is a major limiting factor of thyroglobulin measurements in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. We investigated whether thyroglobulin antibody added to serum samples could interfere with the thyroglobulin assay. Thyroglobulin levels in serum samples with different concentrations of thyroglobulin were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay before and after the addition of increasing concentrations of thyroglobulin antibody using the secondary calibrator solution of the thyroglobulin assay kit containing sheep thyroglobulin antibody to reach thyroglobulin antibody levels within or near to the reference range. Thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody concentrations were also measured in 134 serum samples from 27 patients after thyroid ablation. There was a strong negative association (slope = -1.179) between thyroglobulin antibody and thyroglobulin concentrations in samples with added thyroglobulin antibody (beta = -0.86; P <0.001). Changes in thyroglobulin concentrations were described mathematically as loss of thyroglobulin% = -0.2408 x Ln(thyroglobulin antibody IU/ml) + 0.1944. Thyroglobulin concentrations were significantly lower than those calculated from experiments with added thyroglobulin antibody in 26/134 samples from patients after thyroid ablation. We conclude that if the same TgAb interference exists in the presence of naturally occurring human TgAb, our observation may prove to be useful during follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. However, further studies are needed to explore the clinical relevance of thyroglobulin antibody levels within or near to the reference range in monitoring these patients.

Progestin-dependent effect of oral contraceptives on plasma aldosterone/renin ratio.

OBJECTIVES: Estrogens in oral contraceptives (OC) may influence plasma aldosterone/plasma renin activity (ALD/PRA) and plasma aldosterone/plasma renin concentration (ALD/DRC) ratios, but the effect of progestins on these ratios has not been sufficiently studied so far. DESIGN AND METHODS: PRA (RIA, DiaSorin), DRC and ALD (IRMA, RIA, Beckman Coulter) were measured, then ALD/PRA and ALD/DRC were calculated in 86 healthy normotensive women (aged 27.3 ± 7.5 years), 63 using progestin-containing OC: either gestodene (GTD, n=25), desogestrel (DSG, n=22) or drospirenone (DRSP, n=16). 23 OC-nonusers served as control. RESULTS: Data are presented as median and lower and upper quartiles. PRA, DRC and ALD levels were higher (p<0.001) in the DRSP group [3.1 (1.5 3.8)ng/mL/h, 25.2 (9.8 30.4)ng/L and 43.7 (28.0 61.6)ng/dL, respectively], than in the DSG [1.4 (1.1 2.1)ng/mL/h, 8.3 (6.8 12.3)ng/L and 11.5 (7.2 16.6)ng/dL], GTD [1.2 (0.8 2.2)ng/mL/h, 8.0 (4.8 10.5)ng/L, and 13.4 (7.7 22.1) ng/dL] and control [1.3 (0.7 1.6) ng/mL/h, 12.2 (7.5 21.7) ng/L, and 10.0 (4.4 14.7) ng/dL] groups. Cases of falsely elevated ALD/PRA and ALD/DRC ratios [7 (11%) and 12 cases (19%) respectively] were only found in OC users but not in the control group. In the DSG and GTD groups, but not in the DRSP group falsely elevated ALD/PRA occurred less frequently than falsely elevated ALD/DRC. CONCLUSIONS: In OC-users falsely elevated ALD/PRA and especially ALD/DRC are a common finding, particularly when the OC contains DSG or GTD. Therefore, for OC-users method- and progestin-type specific cut-off levels should be established.