Insulin and glucose levels were measured in 13 orthotopic liver transplantations in pigs. After portal revascularization a significant increase in the glucose levels takes place (p less than 0.01). When the infrahepatic vena cava clamp is removed, a significant increase in glucose and insulin concentrations (p less than 0.05) takes place. After the end of the operation the insulin levels decrease significantly with respect to initial values (p less than 0.05).
Objectives: to analyze the T1/T2 cytokine profile in CD8 T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with genotype-1 CHC during treatment with pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) α2a plus ribavirin (RBV).To correlate Th1/Th2 balance with virological response.Patients and methods: in this prospective longitudinal study, a total of 28 naïve genotype-1 CHC patients received Peg-IFNα2a (180 µg/week) plus RBV (1-1.2 g/day) for 48 weeks.All patients (mean age 45 ± 8 years) completed treatment and followup: 12 (43%) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR), 13 relapsed after end of treatment (47%), and only 3 (10%) were non-responders.Sixteen healthy controls were also analyzed (mean age 39 ± 17 years).The production of IL-4, IFNγ, and TNFα by CD8 T cells was measured by intracytoplasmic detection using flow cytometry in both resting and stimulated cells with a phorbol ester.Statistics: Student's t test for independent values, χ 2 test, and ANOVA test were used; relapsers and non-responders were joined to achieve a higher statistical power.Results: at third month during treatment, phorbol ester-stimulated-IL-4 levels tend to be lower in patients who presented with SVR versus those who did not (0.97 vs 2.58; p = 0.1).No statistically significant differences were found in IFNγ and TNFα levels at month 3.At EOT, the stimulated-IFNγ production was significantly higher in patients with SVR (20 vs. 8; p < 0.05).Conversely, IL-4 production was higher in NR patients although these data did not reach statistical significance (p < 0.1).No significant differences were found in TNFα (14 vs. 7; p < 0.2).Conclusions: Cytokine T1 induced-response maintenance during combination treatment, measured as IFNγ production by CD8+ T lymphocytes, is associated with SVR and suggests the replication control and later clearance of patients infected by genotype-1 HCV.
The Gibraltar Arc includes the Betic and Rif Cordilleras surrounding the Alboran Sea; it is formed at the northwest-southeast Eurasia-Nubia convergent plate boundary in the westernmost Mediterranean. Since 2006, the Campo de Dalias GNSS network has monitored active tectonic deformation of the most seismically active area on the north coast of the Alboran Sea. Our results show that the residual deformation rates with respect to Eurasia range from 1.7 to 3.0 mm/year; roughly homogenous west-southwestward displacements of the northern sites occur, while the southern sites evidence irregular displacements towards the west and northwest. This deformation pattern supports simultaneous east-northeast-west-southwest extension, accommodated by normal and oblique faults, and north-northwest-south-southeast shortening that develops east-northeast-west-southwest folds. Moreover, the GNSS results point to dextral creep of the main northwest-southeast Balanegra Fault. These GNNS results thus reveal, for the first time, present-day interaction of the roll-back tectonics of the Rif-Gibraltar-Betic slab in the western part of the Gibraltar Arc with the indentation tectonics affecting the eastern and southern areas, providing new insights for improving tectonic models of arcuate orogens.
Objectives: our objectives were to compare angiogenesis soluble factor (ASF) levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and healthy individuals, and to investigate potential associations between ASF levels and both histological and biochemical markers of disease progression.Method: thirty-six patients (69% males) positive for HCV-RNA by PCR analysis were included in the study.All patients underwent liver biopsy before treatment.Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble Flt-1 and Flk-1 receptors, placental growth factor (PlGF), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and soluble Tie-2 receptor were determined by ELISA.Fifteen healthy subjects were used as controls.Results: in comparison to healthy individuals, CHC patients showed significantly increased serum levels of proangiogenic factors PlGF (22 ± 5 vs. 18 ± 8 pg/ml; p < 0.05), Ang-2 (1265 ± 385 vs. 833 ± 346 pg/ml; p < 0.005) and sFlt-1 (95 ± 22 vs. 72 ± 14 pg/ml; p < 0.0001).Interestingly, in CHC patients serum levels of VEGF and Tie-2 correlated with grade of inflammation, PlGF correlated with stage of fibrosis, and Flt-1 and Flk-1 correlated with serum transaminase levels (p < 0.05 in all cases).Conclusions: CHC patients showed increased serum levels of ASF, and a significant correlation was shown between serum levels of selected ASFs and grade of inflammation, stage of fibrosis, and transaminase levels.