Unsupported Ni metal catalyst in hydrothermal liquefaction of oak wood: Effect of catalyst surface modification.

Hydrothermal liquefaction of oak wood was carried out in tubular micro reactors at different temperatures (280-330 °C), reaction times (10-30 min), and catalyst loads (10-50 wt%) using metallic Ni catalysts. For the first time, to enhance the catalytic activity of Ni particles, a coating technique producing a nanostructured surface was used, maintaining anyway the micrometric dimension of the catalyst, necessary for an easier recovery. The optimum conditions for non-catalytic liquefaction tests were determined to be 330 °C and 10 min with the bio-crude yield of 32.88%. The addition of metallic Ni catalysts (Commercial Ni powder and nanostructured surface-modified Ni particle) increased the oil yield and inhibited the char formation through hydrogenation action. Nano modified Ni catalyst resulted in a better catalytic activity in terms of bio-crude yield (36.63%), thanks to the higher surface area due to the presence of flower-like superficial nanostructures. Also, bio-crude quality resulted improved with the use of the two catalysts, with a decrease of C/H ratio and a corresponding increase of the high heating value (HHV). The magnetic recovery of the catalysts and their reusability was also investigated with good results.

Clinical Case of Immune Dysregulation, Polyendocrinopaty, Enteropathy, X-Linked (IPEX) Syndrome with Severe Immune Deficiency and Late Onset of Endocrinopathy and Enteropathy.

Objective. To describe the clinical characteristics of IPEX syndrome in a child with FOXP3 mutation. Clinical Case. A boy aged 2.3 years was born from first normal pregnancy with a weight of 3420 gr. Family History. Two brothers of the mother died before the age of 3 years with severe infections, diarrhea, erythroderma, and elevated immunoglobulins class E (IgEs). Since first month of life, our patient suffered from septicemia, pneumonias, pyelonephritis, and meningitis, accompanied with eczematous dermatitis and IgEs up to 4000 IU/L (normal <10). At the age of 1.6 years, he developed type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). He was underweighted (-3.42 SDS) and had some phenotypic features like coarse face, muscle hypotonia, joint hyperextensibility, eczematous dermatitis, and subcutaneous cold abscesses. Autoimmune thyroiditis and celiac disease were excluded. After diabetes, intermittent watery diarrhea appeared with progression to severe intractable form. Finally, aggravating symptoms of nephritis, cachexia, and respiratory insufficiency were the cause for his death at the age of 2 years and 3 months. The DNA analysis at the University of Exeter Medical School established mutation at exon 10 of FOXP3 gene c.1010G >A, p. (Arg337Gln), which confirmed IPEX syndrome. The same mutation in heterozygotic state was found in the mother. A prenatal diagnosis of her second pregnancy ensured a daughter carrier of the mutation.

The reproducibility of colour Doppler in chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency associated with multiple sclerosis.

AIM: Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a syndrome described in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, characterized by stenosis of the main extracranial veins with hampered cerebral venous outflow. In the original description echo-colour Doppler demonstrated to be an ideal non invasive tool for screening CCSVI patients, but the reproducibility was not assessed. Aim of this study is to assess the variability coefficient between trained and in not trained echo-colour Doppler operators. METHODS: Thirty-six (36) subjects, matched for age and gender, were subset in 3 groups (group A, 12 healthy controls, HC; group B, 12 multiple sclerosis patients, MS; group C, 12 patients with other neurological disease, OND) underwent echo-colour Doppler screening for CCSVI according to an original protocol previously described. The inter observer variability rate was assessed by comparing respectively trained vs not trained operators, and trained vs trained operators, by using the same echo-colour Doppler equipment. In addition, by scanning 15 subjects after one month from the first session, intra observer coefficient was also assessed in trained operator. RESULTS: The inter observer variability rate between trained and not trained echo-colour Doppler operators, were not completely satisfactory (K coefficient 0.47 95% CI 0.27-0.68). To the contrary the inter observer agreement between trained operators was much more reliable (K coefficient 0.80 95% CI 0.59-1.01). Finally, the intra observer variability rate in trained operators was 0.93, (95% CI 0.80-1.06) confirming a highly satisfactory agreement. CONCLUSION: Echo-colour Doppler is a powerful, non-invasive and reproducible tool for screening CCSVI-MS but it needs special training.

[Pilot training experience in lip-reading skills for nurses in intensive care units]. / Un'esperienza pilota di addestramento alla lettura labiale per infermieri delle unità di terapia intensiva.

UNLABELLED: In the intensive care unit (ICU) of Mestre hospital (Italy) a research was carried out to analyse the possibility to improve nurses' lip-reading skills. METHODS: A specialized speech therapist organized a 20 hour training course for 34 health workers in ICU. RESULTS: The participants had a lip-reading test at the beginning and at the end of the course and six months later. The final test revealed that participants could recognize a greater number of typical words in ICU in comparison to the initial test. Yet, after 6 months the skill decreased to the level shown at the beginning of the course. On the other hand, the trend shows that some participants' skill did not decrease. Neither the starting level nor intermediate stage are conditioned by sex, age, profession, and experience. In order to measure clinic efficacy, the participants had another test to understand if improved lip-reading skill could influence the following variables: word comprehension, nurse attitude to communication toward non-speaking people, patient emotional status and nurse emotional status. The training course seems to have had good effects on nurses' attitudes towards their patients and on their communication. Yet, study results do not show if increased lip-reading skills have real positive effects on ICU communication and whether this method is better than usual communication methods (e.g. mimic or alphabetic board).

[The effectiveness of foot reflexotherapy on chronic pain associated with a herniated disk]. / Efficacia della reflessologia plantare nel dolore cronico da ernia discale.

Foot reflexology is both a diagnostic technique and therapy. It is an alternative therapy which is considered useful in pain management. Its effectiveness as a therapy has been studied at the Mestre hospital where a clinical study has been undertaken to determine the effectiveness of reflexology in the reduction of pain. A group of 40 persons suffering almost exclusively from a lumbar-sacral disc hernia received three treatments of reflexology massage for a week. The results found that 25 persons (62.5%) reported a reduction in pain, (rating at 0.75 on a scale of 0-4). These results however did not take into consideration the relationship between the effectiveness of foot reflexology and variables such as the persons physicality (Body Mass Index), or their psychological or social status.

[Thrombokinetic study of patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura]. / Issledovanie trombokinetiki u bol'nykh idiopaticheskoi trombotsitopenicheskoi purpuroi.

The kinetics of 111In-oxine-labeled platelets was studied in 37 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and in 12 control subjects using gamma-chamber. A comparison was made of the parameters of the kinetics, survival and sequestration type of platelets, as well as their recovery and exchange. In less severe processes the splenic type, while in more severe disease--the hepatic type of sequestration prevailed.

[Thrombocyte kinetics in patients with thrombocytopenia]. / Kinetika trombotsitov u bo'lnykh trombotsitopeniei.

Investigation of the kinetics of blood platelets is of paramount importance in cases where it is necessary to differentiate the cause of thrombocytopenia in patients: reduction of the output, changes in organ distribution or increase of sequestration of blood platelets. Using the method of labeling own blood platelets and a gamma-chamber, the kinetics of blood platelets (organ distribution, recovery and survival) was studied and computed in 40 patients with hypoplastic anemia, hypersplenism and thrombocytopenic purpura. A complex of the parameters characterizing the given disease has been defined.

[Hemostatic studies in decompensated diabetes mellitus]. / Prouchvaniia na khemostaza pri dekompensiran zakharen diabet.

In 35 patients with decompensated diabetes mellitus the following hemostatic indices were studied: glycohemoglobin, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrin monomers (determined by protamine sulfate test), fibrinogen and platelet count. A statistically significant decrease of the prothrombin time (p less than 0.001) and of the partial thromboplastin time (p less than 0.001) was found. Glycohemoglobin was significantly increased in all patients. The remaining indices were in the normal ranges. A syndrome of increased latent coagulability emerges which explains the tendency to thromboembolism in diabetes.

[The level of factor VIII/von Willebrand and inhibitors in diabetic retinopathy]. / Nivo na faktor VIII/fon Vilebrand i na niakoi inkhibitori pri diabetna retinopatiia.

In 28 diabetics, classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of diabetic retinopathy, the following indices were examined: glycohemoglobin, factor VIII/von Willebrand, alpha-I-antitrypsin and alpha-2-macroglobulin. Factor VIII/von Willebrand and alpha-2-macroglobulin showed no changes in diabetes mellitus. Alpha-I-antitrypsin was statistically significantly decreased (p less than 0.05). Glycohemoglobin was significantly increased. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups of diabetic patients (with and without retinopathy) studied for all indices examined.

[The thrombocytic beta-thromboglobulin level of patients with blastic leukemia and chronic myeloleukemia]. / Nivo na trombotsitniia beta-tromboglobulin pri bolni s blastna levkoza i khronichna mielolevkoza.

The thrombocytic beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) level--a specific globulin secreted by the alpha-granules--is an important criterion in the contemporary diagnosis of acquired thrombocytopathies. The beta-TG was determined by the radioimmunologic test of the firm "Amersham" in thrombocytic lysates and thrombocyte-poor plasma of 54 persons: 24 patients with acute leukemia, 14 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and 15 healthy controls. The leukemic patients were with a preliminary proved thrombocytopathy type "empty thrombocytic pool disease" which had been proved via aggregation measurement by the ATP and ADP levels in the thrombocytes and by the thrombocytic factor 4 level. While the intraplatelet beta-TG concentration in acute leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia was found unchanged, in the patients with acute leukemia its secretion in the plasma was decreased (154.71 + 16.77 ng/10(5) platelets). The data interpretation shows that in these malignant hemopathies the alpha-granules do not take part in the "empty pool disease". In acute leukemia the pathogenesis of the thrombocytopathy is determined by the so-called "thrombocytic secretion paresis" which is confirmed by the thrombocytic factor 4 low level.

[Glycosylated proteins and various hemostatic indices in diabetic retinopathy]. / Glikirani proteini i niakoi khemostazni polazateli pri diabetna retinopatiia.

The changes in the level of glycated proteins and some factors of coagulation were studied in 30 patients with diabetes mellitus--15 with and 15 without diabetic retinopathy. The mean level of glycoalbumin was elevated (2.9 +/- 0.8 mg) HMF (mg protein) without an authentic difference in the two subgroups. Glycohemoglobin was also increased (means--13.6 +/- 1%) in all studied subjects The activity of antithrombin III was high (means--222 +/- 53%) and the concentration--reduced--means--22.1 +/- 2.2 mg%, without authentic difference in the two subgroups. The concentration of alpha-2-macroglobulin, as well as its activity showed no significant deviations. Factor VIII (von Willebrand) was within reference limits (means--97.04 +/- 15.06%) with a tendency to lower values in the group without diabetic retinopathy. Fibrinogen level (means--4.3 +/- 1.2 g) was within the reference range, and FDP--increased in the majority of the examined. A syndrome of intensified latent coagulability, equivalent to chronic decompensated DIC, determined by the basic dismetabolism and non-enzymatic glycating of proteins has been outlined. The changes are more marked in the cases with diabetic retinopathy.

[Factor VIII (von Willebrand antigen) in patients with acquired thrombocytopathies]. / Prouchvane na faktor VIII (Vilebrand antigen) pri bolni s pridobiti trombotsitopatii.

Factor VIII/von Willebrand antigen (VA), part of the molecule of plasma factor VIII, realizes the interaction between platelets and vascular endothelium and the triggering of primary hemostasis. The modern diagnostics and treatment of the complicated acquired thrombocytopathies are impossible without the investigation on the concentration of factor VIII/von Willebrand antigen. The immune coagulation method used allows the objective, exact and fast determination of VA--referent values have been developed in healthy subjects. The patients with blastic leukosis studied--28 and with chronic myeloleukemia--18, all with severe endogenous complicated thrombocytopathy, functionally and biochemically confirmed, showed normal values of VA/von Willebrand antigen. On the contrary, a slightly elevated VA was established in patients with diabetes with no vascular-degenerative syndrome, corresponding to the activation of platelet functions and to enhanced adhesiveness in particular, contributing to thrombotic complications. The data obtained are discussed in connection with the etiopathogenesis of the separate kinds of thrombocytopathies and the necessity of substitutive therapy.

Blood coagulation in glomerulonephritis.

Different parameters of coagulation were studied in 71 patients with glomerulonephritis. In comparison with normal subjects they had lower platelet counts, lower adhesion index and decreased aggregation, decreased partial thromboplastin time (46.4 per cent of patients), increased reptilase time (47.8 per cent) and other disorders. Plasma fibrin monomer soluble complexes were positive in 52.1 per cent and fibrin degradation products occurred in 14 per cent. According to the authors, in glomerulonephritis there are: subacute or chronic forms of disseminated intravascular coagulation; thrombopathy.

[Liberation of anti-heparin activity during platelet aggregation in patients with blastic leukosis and blastic crisis of chronic myelosis]. / Libération d'activité antihéparinique au cours de l'agrégation plaquettaire chez des malades atteints de leucose blastique et de crise blastique de la myélose chronique

The activity of platelet factor 4 (FP4) was examined in 37 patients affected with blastic leukaemia, in 16 patients with blastic crisis in chronic myeloid leukaemia and in 2 patients with Willebrand's syndrome. The real activity of FP4 determined by modifying the method according to NIEWIAROWSKI after a complete lysis of granular membrances by means of triton X-100 was found to be lowered in 9 patients affected with blastic leukaemia, in 5 patients with blastic crisis and in two patients with Willebrand's syndrome. Presuming that a maximal FP4 release of the irreversible platelet aggregation must be obtained, which corresponds to the real activity, the author has examined the apparent activity of FP4 released from the aggregated platelets with the help of her own method. In this way the quality of the release reaction from the platelets can indirectly be characterized with their extremely important role for haemostasis. Whereas in exacerbated myeloid leukaemia and Willebrand's syndrome the apparent activity will correspond to the real one, there is a severe specific disturbance of the platelet release response in blastic leukaemia. The platelet aggregation is incomplete caused by the derailment of the energy metabolism and the disturbance of the adenine nucleotides, thus causing an apparent as well as a real FP4 deficiency which can be brought into the same line with pathogenesis of thrombopathy in blastic leukaemia.