Changes in gene expression in pressure ulcers debrided by different approaches - a pilot study.

Pressure ulcers (PUs), also known as pressure injuries, are chronic wounds that represent potential lifelong complications. Pressure ulcers of a deep category (III and IV) are often indicated for surgical treatment - debridement and surgical reconstruction. Sharp surgical debridement is widely used in the debridement of PUs; however, the Versajet® hydrosurgery system is becoming an increasingly popular tool for tangential excision in surgery due to its numerous advantages. This work focused on the expression of selected genes, especially those associated with oxidative stress, in PUs debrided by two approaches - sharp surgical debridement and debridement using Versajet® hydrosurgery system. Expression of following genes was evaluated: NFE2L2, ACTA2, NFKB1, VEGFA, MKI67, HMOX1, HMOX2, HIF1A, and SOD2. ACTB and PSMB were used as housekeeping genes. So far, five patients have been enrolled in the study. Preliminary results suggest no significant difference in gene expression with different pressure ulcer treatment approaches except NFE2L2, despite the macroscopic differences. However, the results revealed correlations between the expression of some genes, namely HIF1A and SOD2, VEGFA and SOD2 and VEGFA and HIF1A. These results may indicate a connection between hypoxia, oxidative stress, pressure ulcer healing processes and angiogenesis.

Coexistence of Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in Heavy Fermion Cerium Compound Ce3PdIn11.

Many current research efforts in strongly correlated systems focus on the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity. Here we report on coexistence of both cooperative ordered states in recently discovered stoichiometric and fully inversion symmetric heavy fermion compound Ce3PdIn11 at ambient pressure. Thermodynamic and transport measurements reveal two successive magnetic transitions at T1 = 1.67 K and TN = 1.53 K into antiferromagnetic type of ordered states. Below Tc = 0.42 K the compound enters a superconducting state. The large initial slope of dBc2/dT ≈ - 8.6 T/K indicates that heavy quasiparticles form the Cooper pairs. The origin of the two magnetic transitions and the coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity is briefly discussed in the context of the coexistence of the two inequivalent Ce-sublattices in the unit cell of Ce3PdIn11 with different Kondo couplings to the conduction electrons.

Tuning the pressure-induced superconductivity in Pd-substituted CeRhIn5.

The effect of substituting Rh in CeRh(1-x)Pd(x)In5 with Pd up to x = 0.25 has been studied on single crystals. The crystals have been grown by means of the In self-flux method and characterized by x-ray diffraction and microprobe. The tetragonal HoCoGa5-type of structure and the c/a ratio of the parent compound remains intact by the Pd substitution; the unit cell volume increases by 0.6% with x = 0.25 of Pd. The low-temperature behavior of resistivity was studied also under hydrostatic pressure up to 2.25 GPa. The Pd substitution for Rh affects the magnetic behavior and the maximum value of the superconducting transition temperature measured at pressures above 2 GPa only negligibly. On the other hand, the results provide evidence that superconductivity in CeRh(0.75)Pd(0.25)In5 is induced at significantly lower pressures, i.e. the Pd substitution for Rh shifts the CeRh(1-x)Pd(x)In5 system closer to coexistence of magnetism and superconductivity at ambient pressure.

Magnetic phase diagrams of R2RhIn8 (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm) compounds.

We have grown and characterized single crystals of R(2)RhIn(8) (R=Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm) compounds crystallizing in the tetragonal Ho(2)CoGa(8)-type crystal structure. Their magnetic properties were studied by specific heat and magnetization measurements. All the investigated compounds order antiferromagnetically with Néel temperatures of 43.6, 25.1, 10.9, 3.8 and 4.1 K, respectively. Magnetic phase diagrams were constructed.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 and matrix-metalloproteinases in patients with chronic kidney disease: are they associated with cardiovascular disease?

BACKGROUND: High cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) may be related to mineral disorder and microinflammation. Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) is a phosphatonin and inhibitor of calcitriol synthesis, which is associated with poor prognosis in CKD patients starting dialysis. Matrix-metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9) contribute to myocardial remodeling and arterial calcification. FGF-23 and MMPs levels are altered in CKD, however, little is known about their association and relation to cardiovascular (CV) disease. METHODS: Standard laboratory parameters, plasma levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, FGF-23, PAPP-A and CV disease history were assessed in 80 patients with CKD 1-5 and 44 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: FGF-23 and MMP-2 (assessed by ELISA) were higher in CKD patients compared to controls. FGF-23 increased from CKD 3, whereas MMP-2 increased only in CKD 5. FGF-23 was positively associated with MMP-2, adjusted to age, eGFR, phosphatemia, calcitriol and parathormone. FGF-23 independently correlated with parathormone and inversely with calcitriol, whereas MMP-2 was related to phosphatemia. FGF-23 was higher in subjects with a history of CV disease compared to those free of such history (559.0 vs.184.0 RU/ml), adjusted to age and eGFR. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest a possible relationship between FGF-23, MMP-2 and CV disease in CKD. Potential causality of this association remains to be elucidated.