Medicina
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Traumatic brain injury represents physical damage to the brain tissue that induces transitory or permanent neurological disabilities. The traumatic injury activates an important inflammatory response, followed by a cascade of events that lead to neuronal loss and further brain damage. Maintaining proper ventilation, a normal level of oxygenation, and adequate blood pressure are the main therapeutic strategies performed after injury. ⋯ The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of clinical trials, aimed to evaluate the use of stem cell-based therapy in traumatic brain injury. These studies aim to assess the safety and efficacy of stem cells in this disease. The results available so far are few; therefore, future studies need in order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of stem cell transplantation in traumatic brain injury.
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Background and Objectives: Demodex species are common obligatory parasites and normally present in low number in human beings. Immunosuppression was suggested to be associated with increased density of Demodex mites. Systemic glucocorticoids, cyclosporine, methotrexate, and azathioprine are commonly used immunosuppressive agents. ⋯ In the control group, Demodex test was determined as positive in just one healthy individual at the beginning, first and third months of the study. When the patient and control groups were evaluated in terms of Demodex number, there was a statistically significant difference in Demodex density in patients treated with immunosuppressive treatment in the first and third months when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Immunosuppressive treatment might increase the number of Demodex mites and demodicidosis should be kept in mind in patients on immunosuppressive treatment.
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Case Reports
Hereditary Deficiency of the Second Component of Complement: Early Diagnosis and 21-Year Follow-Up of a Family.
Complement deficiencies are rare and often underdiagnosed primary immunodeficiencies that may be associated with invasive bacterial diseases. Serious infections with encapsulated organisms (mainly Streptococcus pneumoniae, but also Neisseria meningitides and Haemophilus influenzae type B) are frequent in patients with a deficiency of the second component of complement (C2), but no data are available on long-term follow-up. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome and the importance of an early diagnosis and subsequent infection prophylaxis in C2 deficiency. ⋯ A next generation sequencing panel excluded the presence of gene defects related to primary antibody deficiencies. Our data show that early diagnosis, use of vaccinations and antibiotic prophylaxis may allow a normal life in hereditary C2 deficiency, which can be characterized using functional and genetic methods. Moreover, a periodical check of immunoglobulin serum levels could be useful to detect a possible hypogammaglobulinemia.
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Isolated hydatid cysts of the pancreas are rare lesions, even in endemic regions. In this report, we present the case of a 76-year-old patient who was admitted to our clinic with a diagnosis of a cystic lesion in the tail of the pancreas. ⋯ A laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy followed. A histopathological examination revealed a large hydatid cyst in the tail of the pancreas.
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Background and objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) on implant-bone osseointegration in type I diabetic New Zealand rabbits. Materials and methods: BMMSCs harvested from healthy rabbits were processed and validated for purity and osteocyte differentiability. Mandibular incisors of diabetic and control rabbits were carefully extracted, and the sockets were plugged with collagen sponges. ⋯ Results: The preclinical evaluation of the viability and osteocyte differentiation of the BMMSCs were consistent between both the donor samples. The osseointegration of dental implants with stem cell therapy (BMMSCs + PRP + collagen) in normal and diabetic rabbits was significantly higher than that of implants with adjunctive PRP + collagen only (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Stem Cell therapy with osteoinductive BMMSCs and PRP can offer a novel approach to enhance the osseointegration of dental implants in uncontrolled diabetic patients.