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Objective: Gastric cancer (GC) has been become the second leading cause for cancer-associated death. This study aimed to investigate Orexin A levels and associated receptors in tumor tissues of GC patients., Patients and Methods: Forty-six consecutive gastric cancer patients (GC, n=46) and 13 chronic atrophic gastritis patients (CAG, n=13) were recruited. Meanwhile, 18 health individuals visiting Medical Examination Department were involved as control (N group, n=18). ELISA was used to examine Orexin A concentration. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to examine OX1R and OX2R. HE staining was applied to evaluate inflammation. qRT-PCR was employed to detect OX1R, OX2R, prepro-Orexin mRNAs. Serum Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection was measured., Results: Orexin A expression in GC patients was significantly up-regulated compared to N group and CAG group (p<0.05). Orexin A expression was increased in CAG group compared to N group (p<0.05). Gastric cancer tissues exhibited significantly obvious inflammation compared to N group and CAG group (p<0.05). OX1R and OX2R expressions were significantly down-regulated in GC group compared to N group and CAG group (p<0.05). OX1R and OX2R were lower significantly in GC group compared to CAG group (p<0.05). Prepro-Orexin was significantly depleted in tumor tissues of GC group compared to N group and CAG group (p<0.05). Orexin A expression was un-associated with gender, age and differential grades (p>0.05). CAG and GC patients demonstrated higher H. pylori infection rates., Conclusion: Orexin A was associated with inflammation by interacting with OX1R/OX2R receptor and activating prepro-Orexin in tumor tissues of gastric cancer patients., (Copyright © 2019. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Introduction and Objectives: To assess the predictive value of atrial natriuretic peptide, β-type natriuretic peptide, copeptin, mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) and cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) as indicators of low cardiac output syndrome in children with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)., Methods: After corrective surgery for congenital heart disease under CPB, 117 children (aged 10 days to 180 months) were enrolled in a prospective observational pilot study during a 2-year period. The patients were classified according to whether they developed low cardiac output syndrome. Biomarker levels were measured at 2, 12, 24, and 48 hours post-CPB. The clinical data and outcome variables were analyzed by a multiple logistic regression model., Results: Thirty-three (29%) patients developed low cardiac output syndrome (group 1) and the remaining 84 (71%) patients were included in group 2. cTn-I levels >14 ng/mL at 2hours after CPB (OR, 4.05; 95%CI, 1.29-12.64; P=.016) and MR-proADM levels>1.5 nmol/L at 24hours following CPB (OR, 15.54; 95%CI, 4.41-54.71; P<.001) were independent predictors of low cardiac output syndrome., Conclusions: Our results suggest that cTn-I at 2hours post-CPB is, by itself, an evident independent early predictor of low cardiac output syndrome. This predictive capacity is, moreover, reinforced when cTn-I is combined with MR-proADM levels at 24hours following CPB. These 2 cardiac biomarkers would aid in therapeutic decision-making in clinical practice and would also enable clinicians to modify the type of support to be used in the pediatric intensive care unit., (Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: There is no hematological marker that reliably differentiates between bacterial and nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis (AGE). The objective of this study is to evaluate procalcitonin (PCT) as a marker for bacterial AGE and analyze its relationship with hospital admission., Patients and Method: A prospective study of children diagnosed with AGE was conducted at the emergency room during a period of seven months, which required blood and stool samples. Epidemiological, clinical and analytical variables were analyzed. Patients with chronic digestive disease, prolonged diarrhea, immunodeficiency or prior antibiotic treatment were excluded. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee and an informed consent was requested., Results: 45 patients were analyzed. Children with bacterial GEA were older (p=0.027) and presented higher median PCT and C-reactive protein concentrations (CRP) (p=0.001). The PCT and CRP values that best discriminated bacterial infection were PCT≥0.05 mg/L (sensibility 64.3%, specificity 83.9%, positive probability coefficient (PPC): 4), and CRP≥3 mg/dL (sensibility 78.6%, specificity 90.3%, PPC: 8). No association between the elevation of these markers and higher hospitalization probability was found., Conclusion: Procalcitonin, like CRP, is elevated in bacterial gastroenteritis (p=0.001), but these markers are not a predictor of hospitalization.

Hypoglycemia is a common emergency, and is usually due to insulin therapy or oral hypoglycemic treatment in diabetic patients. In some cases, hypoglycemia can be a paraneoplastic sign. We report the case of a 61-year-old woman with a malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, who was admitted to hospital because of diminished consciousness. The final diagnosis was paraneoplastic hypoglycemia with a positive response to glucagon. The patient was finally discharged with glucagon perfusion.

In the present review, the characteristics of mammalian neuropeptides have been studied. Neuropeptides are widely distributed not only in the nervous system but also in the periphery. They are synthesised by neurons as large precursor molecules (pre propeptides) which have to be cleaved and modified in order to form the mature neuropeptides. Neuropeptides may exert actions as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and/or neurohormones. In the neurons, they coexist with classic transmitters and often with other peptides. After their releasing, they bind to especific receptors to exert their action in the target cell. Most of these receptors belongs to a family of G protein coupled receptors. Finally, peptidases are the enzymes involved in the degradation of neuropeptides. Conclusions. In the last years, the number of known neuropeptides and the understanding of their functions have been increased. With these data, present investigations are looking for the treatment of different pathologies associated with alterations in the physiology of neuropeptides.

Background: Neonates on exclusive breast feeding that do not receive vitamin K at birth are at higher risk hemorrhagic disease of the newborn., Aim: To compare the effect of oral or intramuscular administration of vitamin K1 (VK1), on clotting factors II, VII, IX, X and PIVKA II, in children until the 60 days of age with exclusive breast feeding or mixed feeding., Patients and Methods: Forty healthy full term infants, distributed in two groups, A: 20 with mixed feeding (formula-feeding and breast-feeding) and B: 20 with exclusive breast feeding, were studied. Nine infants of each group received 1 mg of VK1 intramuscularly and eleven 2 mg VK orally 5 ml of cord blood was collected initially from each infant. Venous blood samples were taken on 15, 30 and 60 days of age., Results: All factors increased in a progressive form reaching levels over 50% at 60 days of age, in both groups. PIVKA II decreased significantly during the study period (p < 0.01). Factor II increased more in children with mixed feeding that received intramuscular vitamin K, than in the rest of study groups. No other differences between groups were observed. No infant had an abnormal bleeding during the study period., Conclusions: Oral administration of vitamin K is as effective as the intramuscular route in the prevention of the hemorrhagic disease of the newborn.

The effect of quantity and quality of protein from cereal and legume sources on the rate of vitamin A depletion was evaluated through changes in retinol serum levels and liver stores in male and female Wistar strain rats. A total of 64 animals were distributed into four groups and fed ad libitum with diets adequate in all nutrients, except vitamin A. The protein in the diets was derived from 91% common maize (Diet A); 91% Opaque-2 maize (Diet B), 64% common maize plus 27% precooked common black bean flour (Diet C), and 64% Opaque-2 maize with 27% bean flour (Diet D). The total depletion period lasted 60 days and four rats per group were sacrificed at 15, 30 and 60 days. A total of 4 animals were sacrificed at 0 day to count with a basal serum and hepatic retinol concentration value. The 16 depleted remaining rats were used for the carotene bioavailability study with dehydrated carrots. During the first 15 days the greater rate of depletion was observed in animals fed the highest protein quality diet made from Opaque-2 maize and beans (Diet D), which also caused the greatest weight increase. The least depletion rate and lowest weight gain was obtained with the common corn diet (Diet A). Diets B and C caused intermediate depletion rates, with Diet B (Opaque-2 maize) being more effective than Diet C in spite of its lower protein content. At the end of 60 days all groups presented depletion levels not statistically different. Thus, these results confirm that protein quantity and quality from basic staple foods influence mobilization of retinol liver reserves. The 16 remaining depleted rats were then divided into four groups and fed a standard 14% casein diet to which 25, 50 and 75% of the retinol requirements was added to obtain a reference standard biological response. The fourth group was fed with an amount of dehydrated and ground carrot containing 67.1 mg % of total carotenoids. After seven days, serum and hepatic retinol were obtained, from which a regression equation of liver retinol to diet retinol was calculated (microgram % liver retinol per 100 g of rat) = 2.47 + 0.063 (microgram retinol/g diet) (r = 0.585). From this equation the bioavailability of carrot carotenoids was established with a value of 21.8% comparable to the FAO/WHO value previously reported.