ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Airway inflammation may be present in subjects affected by atopic dermatitis (AD) but still without asthma symptoms. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) reflects the composition of bronchoalveolar extracellular lining fluid that contains a large number of mediators of airway inflammation and oxidative damage. OBJECTIVES: We assessed inflammatory markers in the EBC of patients with AD. Fifty-six children (34 girls and 22 boys) were enrolled: 33 affected by AD and 23 healthy controls. METHODS: EBC was collected using a condenser device. We measured EBC pH and concentrations of leukotriene B4 (LTB4), 8-isoprostane, H(2) O(2) , malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynoneal. Respiratory resistance was also evaluated. RESULTS: EBC pH in patients with AD was significantly lower than in healthy children, median (range) being 8·02 (7·94-8·12) in AD vs. 8·11 (8·05-8·16) (P = 0·02). The values of exhaled 8-isoprostane and LTB4 were significantly increased in subjects with AD compared with normal controls (P < 0·01 and P < 0·001, respectively). There was increased 4-hydroxynoneal in patients with AD but this did not reach statistical significance. Evaluating respiratory resistance, no bronchoreversibility was demonstrated in the children with AD. CONCLUSIONS: pH, LTB4 and 8-isoprostane in EBC could be sensitive markers of airway inflammation in children with AD. Prospective studies would be of interest to evaluate if airway inflammation, not yet clinically evident, could predict the development of asthma later in life in children with AD.
Subject(s)
Dermatitis, Atopic/metabolism , Dinoprost/analogs & derivatives , Leukotriene B4/metabolism , Oxidative Stress/physiology , Airway Resistance/physiology , Aldehydes/metabolism , Biomarkers/metabolism , Breath Tests , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Dermatitis, Atopic/physiopathology , Dinoprost/metabolism , Female , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Male , Malondialdehyde/metabolismABSTRACT
A rare case of gigantic Paget disease is presented. Surgical treatment and reconstructive issues are discussed in detail.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/surgery , Paget's Disease, Mammary/surgery , Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods , Surgical Procedures, Operative/methods , Thoracic Neoplasms/surgery , Aged , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology , Female , Humans , Paget's Disease, Mammary/pathology , Thoracic Neoplasms/secondary , Thoracic Wall , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Four sampling stations were set 200-500 m off Limon Port, Costa Rica, at an average depth of 20 m. From October 1996 to May 1997 horizontal subsuperficial trawls were done for 12 minutes at a speed of about 2 Km/h, with a 1,000 microns plancton net. A total of 28 samples were processed and 104 physical-chemistry parameter measurements were taken. Average salinity was 30.1 +/- 3.7 and dissolved oxygen 6.9 +/- 0.6 mg l-1 reflecting good aeration throughout the sampling period. This suggests good mixture and a highly dynamic hydrography. Temperature showed no drastic variations (28.0 +/- 1.7 degrees C), possibly because of the constant mixing with shallow water. The highest larval counts were for November and early January and include families common to reefs and estuaries (Balistidae, Lutjanidae) and to coastal areas (Centropomidae, Gerreidae, Haemulidae, Carangidae, Engraulidae, Hemiramphidae, and representative Pleuronectiformes) existing in a common area.
