\n\nResults. The C-13-MBT differed significantly between healthy controls and cirrhotic patients at all time intervals measured. It also proved the ability to differentiate patients with liver cirrhosis based on severity of hepatic impairment corresponding to the Child-Pugh classification A vs. B vs. C. The ROC curve analysis suggested that the best prediction is provided by time intervals between the 10th – 20th

or 10th – 40th minute of PDR.\n\nConclusions. The C-13-MBT offers a reliable means for quantification of hepatic metabolic function over the complete range of functional liver impairment. It is non-invasive, easy to perform and completely safe.”
“PURPOSE CH5424802 purchase ACY-1215 research buy To describe optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of ocular lesions in pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE).\n\nMETHODS. Sixteen eyes of 8 patients with PXE and 20 eyes of 10 age-matched healthy volunteers were included in the study. All patients in the study and control group underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination and OCT. Fluorescein angiography was performed on the patients with PXE.\n\nRESULTS. In the areas of peau de orange mottling, OCT demonstrated increased reflectivity on the level of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), Bruch membrane, and choriocapillaris complex. OCT scans of crystalline

body showed a hyperreflective shell and an isoreflective or hyporeflective core. OCT scans of the angioid streaks demonstrated thinning in RPE-Bruch

membrane-choriocapillaris complex.\n\nCONCLUSIONS. Disturbances on the 4EGI-1 purchase level of RPE, choroid, and Bruch membrane may be responsible for the ocular lesions in PXE. OCT may give clues to the pathophysiology of the retinal lesions. Spectral domain OCT could provide more details and information. Further studies using this new technology should be performed. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2010; 20: 397-401)”
“Using a microfluidic chip, we have investigated whether bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) could ameliorate IL-1 beta/IFN-gamma-induced dysfunction of INS-1 cells. BM-MSCs were obtained from diabetes mellitus patients and their cell surface antigen expression profiles were analyzed by flow cytometric. INS-1 cells were cocultured with BM-MSCs on a microfluidic chip with persistent perfusion of medium containing 1 ng/mL IL-1 beta and 2.5 U/mL IFN-gamma for 72 h. BM-MSCs could partially rescue INS-1 cells from cytokine-induced dysfunction and ameliorate the expression of insulin and PDX-1 gene in INS-1 cells. Thus BM-MSCs can be viewed as a promising stem cell source to depress inflammatory factor-induced dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells in diabetic patients.