Correction to: Inert gas narcosis in scuba diving, different gases different reactions.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake.

Inert gas narcosis in scuba diving, different gases different reactions.

PURPOSE: Underwater divers face several potential neurological hazards when breathing compressed gas mixtures including nitrogen narcosis which can impact diver's safety. Various human studies have clearly demonstrated brain impairment due to nitrogen narcosis in divers at 4 ATA using critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF) as a cortical performance indicator. However, recently some authors have proposed a probable adaptive phenomenon during repetitive exposure to high nitrogen pressure in rats, where they found a reversal effect on dopamine release. METHODS: Sixty experienced divers breathing Air, Trimix or Heliox, were studied during an open water dive to a depth of 6 ATA with a square profile testing CFFF measurement before (T0), during the dive upon arriving at the bottom (6 ATA) (T1), 20 min of bottom time (T2), and at 5 m (1.5 ATA) (T3). RESULTS: CFFF results showed a slight increase in alertness and arousal during the deep dive regardless of the gas mixture breathed. The percent change in CFFF values at T1 and T2 differed among the three groups being lower in the air group than in the other groups. All CFFF values returned to basal values 5 min before the final ascent at 5 m (T3), but the Trimix measurements were still slightly better than those at T0. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight that nitrogen and oxygen alone and in combination can produce neuronal excitability or depression in a dose-related response.

Inhibition of transglutaminase 2 reduces efferocytosis in human macrophages: Role of CD14 and SR-AI receptors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Transglutaminase 2 (TGM2), a member of the transglutaminase family of enzymes, is a multifunctional protein involved in numerous events spanning from cell differentiation, to signal transduction, apoptosis, and wound healing. It is expressed in a variety of cells, macrophages included. Macrophage TGM2 promotes the clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) and emerging evidence suggests that defective efferocytosis contributes to the consequences of inflammation-associated diseases, including atherosclerotic lesion progression and its sequelae. Of interest, active TGM2 identified in human atherosclerotic lesions plays critical roles in plaque stability through effects on matrix cross-linking and TGFß activity. This study explores the mechanisms by which TGM2 controls efferocytosis in human macrophages. METHODS AND RESULTS: Herein we show that TGM2 increases progressively during monocyte differentiation towards macrophages and controls their efferocytic potential as well as morphology and viability. Two experimental approaches that took advantage of the inhibition of TGM2 activity and protein silencing give proof that TGM2 reduction significantly impairs macrophage efferocytosis. Among the mechanisms involved we highlighted a role of the receptors CD14 and SR-AI whose levels were markedly reduced by TGM2 inhibition. Conversely, CD36 receptor and αvß3 integrin levels were not influenced. Of note, lipid accumulation and IL-10 secretion were reduced in macrophages displaying defective efferocytosis. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data define a crucial role of TGM2 activity during macrophage differentiation via mechanisms involving CD14 and SR-AI receptors and show that TGM2 inhibition triggers a pro-inflammatory phenotype.

Data for proteomic analysis of Human monocyte-derived macrophages.

This data article is referred to the research article entitled Human monocyte-derived macrophages are heterogeneous: proteomic profile of different phenotypes by Eligini et al. Eligini S., Brioschi M., Fiorelli S., Tremoli E., Banfi C., Colli S. Human monocyte-derived macrophages are heterogeneous: proteomic profile of different phenotypes. J. Proteomics 124, 2015, 112-123. Macrophages obtained in vitro from blood monocytes are largely used as surrogate model of tissue macrophages that are heterogeneous and not easy to obtain and handle. Under spontaneous differentiation in vitro, monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs) display two dominant subsets (round and spindle) that show different transcriptional, antigenic, and functional profiles mimicking, at least in part, the heterogeneity of tissue macrophages. This article reports the nano-LC-MS(E) analysis of the proteome of round and spindle MDMs allowing a deeper comprehension of macrophage heterogeneity.

Human monocyte-derived macrophages are heterogenous: Proteomic profile of different phenotypes.

Tissue macrophages play a key role in many aspects of human physiology and pathology. These cells are heterogeneous both in term of morphology and function. As an example, heterogeneity has been reported within the atherosclerotic lesions where distinct populations exert opposite functions driving plaque progression or stability. Tissue macrophages are not easily obtained and differentiated blood-derived monocytes are largely used as surrogate model. We previously reported that human macrophages spontaneously differentiated from adherent monocytes show two dominant subsets, distinct for morphology (spindle and round) and functions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intracellular proteome of these two macrophage subsets by means of a microproteomic workflow properly set up to simultaneously identify and quantify proteins from a minimal number of morphotypically heterogeneous cells in culture. We report two distinct proteomic profiles that distinguish round from spindle macrophages. In particular, differential abundances were observed for proteins involved in membrane traffic regulation, lipid handling, efferocytosis, and protection against stress conditions. Results reinforce and extend previous data on the functional and antigenic profile of these macrophage phenotypes strengthening the suitability of our model to focus on macrophage heterogeneity. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Tissue macrophages patrol homeostatic functions, immune surveillance, and resolution of inflammation. The spectrum of macrophage activation states is, therefore, wide and gives ground for the heterogeneity of these cells, documented in health and disease. This study provides knowledge of the distinct proteome that characterises the two dominant morphotypes (round and spindle) of human macrophages that, in our culture condition, are generated by spontaneous differentiation from blood-derived monocytes. Results extend previous data about the different antigenic, transcriptional, and functional profiles of these morphotypes and further strengthen the suitability of this in vitro model to study macrophage heterogeneity and to address the effects of environmental challenges and drugs.

An assessment of cerebrospinal fluid's total creatine-kinase activity in the differential diagnosis of metabolic and organic causes of coma.

The objective of the study was to assess total cerebrospinal creatinine-kinase activity (CSF-CK) measurement in differential diagnosis of "metabolic" and organic causes of coma. The setting for the study was a tertiary care reference medical center and community general hospital. The design of the study was a series of consecutive patients with profound coma (Glasgow scale ratings between 3 and 6) as the presenting complaint to the emergency room and controls. Measurements and main results were as follows: CSF-CK was measured in 103 consecutive patients including 18 patients with metabolic causes of coma, 27 patients with organic causes of coma, 18 patients scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery with epidural anesthesia and 27 patients with compressive myelopathy and radiculopathy. CSF-CK activities were significantly different between groups (H = 29.48, p < 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test), controls had a median of 0 mU/ml (range 0-16 mU/ml), patients with metabolic causes of coma had a median of 0 mU/ml (range 0-65 mU/ml), patients with compressive myelopathy or radiculopathy had a median of 19 mU/ml (range 0-80 mU/ml), and patients with organic causes of coma had a median of 20 mU/ml (range 0-400 mU/ml). The test sensitivity was 83% (95% confidence interval (CI 65-100%) specificity 62% (CI 43-80%) positive predictive value 60% (CI 49-79%) and negative predictive value 85% (CI 75-95%). The conclusion of the study was that the test is useful for ruling out metabolic causes of coma when CSF-CK activity is high (i.e., above 16 mU/ml).

[Treatment and prevention of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome]. / Tratamiento y profilaxis del síndrome de hiperestimulación ovárica.

Frequency and features of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHS) were reviewed in 41 women stimulated with human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) during 130 cycles. There were 7 cases of OHS, since 17% of patients and 5.3% of cycles were affected; 3 cases were mild, 2 moderate and 2 severe. Of these 41 women, 21 pregnancies occurred (51%) and 19 newborns were healthy. The patients with OHS received 1060 +/- 235 (X +/- DE) UI of HMG and there was not a significative difference with the amount of HMG units in remaining subjects. Symptoms began 3-6 days after human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) administration. Women with mild OHS were treated as out patients with bed rest and 100 mg indomethacin in suppositories two times a day. Moderate and severe OHS were hospitalized with bed rest; careful monitoring of fluid intake and output, weight and abdominal perimeter daily, as well as vital signs were withdrawn. Patients with severe OHS were treated in the intensive care unit for detection and management of complications. One patient was submitted to laparotomy because of a probably ovarian rupture, but it was discarded in the surgery. OHS remained between 6 and 8 days. Patients with OHS presented 3 pregnancies, 2 were twins and the other was ectopic. Emphasis was made in the prophylactic measures to avoid the OHS.

The electroencephalogram in adult patients with fever.

In order to determine if adult patients have reversible EEG abnormalities concurrent with fever, EEGs were recorded during fever in patients without neurologic disease or systemic disease capable of involving the central nervous system, and these were compared blindly with EEGs from the same patients taken at least 30 days after the febrile illness had disappeared. Fourteen patients completed the study, 10 men and 4 women, between the ages of 24 and 56 years, with fever secondary to localized infection. The global frequency of abnormal EEGs was high compared with the general population, since only 6 patients had both records completely normal; in 4 of these 6 cases during fever there were sleep patterns, mainly the first phase of slow wave sleep. Patients with localized abnormalities during fever showed the same abnormality in the EEG taken without fever, with two exceptions, one in which the abnormal finding disappeared and one in which another abnormality replaced the first one. Two patients had normal EEGs during fever and paroxysmal theta waves with predominance in their EEGs taken one month later. Fever in adults seems not to provoke rapidly reversible EEG changes. The high proportion of abnormal EEGs in these patients, and the appearance of new abnormalities in two cases after fever, deserves further research concerning the long-term effects of febrile illness on the EEG in adult patients.