Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which occurs worldwide in mammals and birds. Brain is the primary target organ because Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular parasite that causes most frequently life-threatening encephalitis in immunocompromised patients. Relation of tissue cysts number, histopathology score and acute phase proteins were investigated. In this study, 36 mice are infected with Me49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The control group has 6 healthy mice. After inoculation of Toxoplasma gondii, at 10., 15., 20., 30., 45., 60. days, 6 each mice euthanized after collection of blood samples. Hemopexin, haptoglobulin, macroglobulin, serum amyloid A and clusterin levels are determined by ELISA. Then, brain tissues were investigated histopathologically and lesions were scored. The average cyst numbers were determined by counting three samples (25 µl each) of each brain homogenate under light microscopy. Inflammatory reaction was observed on day 10 days after inoculation (d.a.i.) The lesions were characterized by perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration, focal mononuclear cell infiltration in the meninges, and glial proliferation. Tissue cysts were observed in all Toxoplasma gondii-infected groups. The highest lesion score was observed at 60 d.a.i. And the most tissue cyst number were on day 30. d.a.i. Serum levels of hemopexin, haptoglobulin, macroglobulin, serum amyloid A and clusterin were significantly higher than the control group on day 10–20., 10., 10–30., 10.,10–45 d.a.i., respectively. High level of acute phase proteins in mice on certain days infected with Toxoplasma gondii was exhibited a relationship between brain lesions and tissue cysts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Functional capacity varies significantly among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and it remains unclear why functional capacity is severely compromised in some patients with HFrEF while it is preserved in others. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of pulmonary artery stiffness (PAS) in the functional status of patients with HFrEF. METHODS: A total of 46 heart failure (HF) patients without overt pulmonary hypertension or right HF and 52 controls were enrolled in the study. PAS was assessed on parasternal short-axis view using pulsed-wave Doppler recording of pulmonary flow one centimeter distal to the pulmonic valve annulus at a speed of 100 mm/sec. PAS was calculated according to the following formula: the ratio of maximum flow velocity shift of pulmonary flow to pulmonary acceleration time. RESULTS: PAS was significantly increased in the HFrEF group compared to the control group (10.53±2.40 vs. 7.41±1.32, p < 0.001). In sub-group analysis of patients with HFrEF, PAS was significantly associated with the functional class of the patients. HFrEF patients with poor New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional capacity had higher PAS compared those with good functional capacity. In multivariate regression analysis, NYHA class was independently correlated with PAS. CONCLUSION: PAS is associated with functional status and should be taken into consideration as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism of dyspnea in patients with HFrEF.
Acceleration ; Dyspnea ; Heart Failure* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Pulmonary Artery* ; Stroke Volume ; Vascular Stiffness

BACKGROUNDOutcomes in patients requiring coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have been improved with devices such as the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Good coronary collateral circulation (CCC) has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to investigate whether poor preoperative CCC grade is a predictor of in-hospital mortality in CABG surgery requiring IABP support.

METHODSFifty-five consecutive patients who were undergoing isolated first time on-pump CABG surgery with IABP support were enrolled into this study and CCC of those patients was evaluated.

RESULTSTwenty-seven patients had poor CCC and 28 patients had good CCC. In-hospital mortality rate in poor CCC group was significantly higher than good CCC group (14 (50%) vs. 4 (13%), P = 0.013). Preoperative hemoglobin level (OR: 0.752; 95% CI, 0.571-0.991, P = 0.043), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 6.731; 95% CI, 1.159-39.085, P = 0.034) and poor CCC grade (OR: 5.750; 95% CI, 1.575±20.986, P = 0.008) were associated with post-CABG in-hospital mortality. Poor CCC grade (OR: 4.853; 95% CI, 1.124-20.952, P = 0.034) and preoperative hemoglobin level (OR: 0.624; 95% CI, 0.476-0.954, P = 0.026) were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality after CABG.

CONCLUSIONPreoperative poor CCC and hemoglobin are predictors of in-hospital mortality after CABG with IABP support.

Aged ; Collateral Circulation ; physiology ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Male ; Middle Aged