Int J Med Sci
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Introduction: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the long-term outcomes and factors associated with treatment failure of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for postsurgical residual or recurrent nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). Design and Methods: A total of 148 cases of postsurgical residual or recurrent NFPA patients were enrolled in the study. There were 111 cases with residual tumor and 37 cases with recurrent tumor. ⋯ Six patients (4.1%) developed new or worsening visual dysfunction. Four patients (2.7%) developed new cranial neuropathy. Conclusion: In this study, GKRS can offer a high tumor control rate as well as a low rate of complications in postsurgical residual or recurrent NFPA patients.
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Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is upregulated in a high percentage of glioblastomas. While a well-known mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, has been shown to reduce glioblastoma survival, the role of mitochondria in achieving this therapeutic effect is less well known. Here, we examined mitochondrial dysfunction mechanisms that occur with the suppression of mTOR signaling. ⋯ Specifically, increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and altered mitochondrial dynamics were observed. Furthermore, we verified the therapeutic potential of rapamycin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction through co-treatment with temzolomide (TMZ), the current standard of care for glioblastoma. Together these results demonstrate that the mitochondria remain a promising target for therapeutic intervention against human glioblastoma and that TMZ and rapamycin have a synergistic effect in suppressing glioblastoma viability, enhancing ROS production, and depolarizing MMP.
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Purpose: Exercise modifies airway immune responses and susceptibility to infection. We investigated the effects of exercise on two HSPs (heat shock proteins), quantifying expression levels in nasal mucosa of both professional competitive athletes and non-athletes for comparison. Method: We used western blot technique to determine expression levels of HSPs in primary human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs). ⋯ By antibacterial assay, it was found that the number of active bacterial populations were influenced by the presence or absence of HSP27 and HSP70 in NAL fluids. Conclusion: HSP27 and HSP70 were present in NAL fluids of enrolled subjects, and the effect of exercise on the level HSPs was different between professional athletic competitors and non-athletes. As the number of active bacterial population was influenced by the presence or absence of nasal HSP27 and HSP70, we suggest that HSP27 and HSP70 may play immunological function in NAL fluids.
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This study examined the possible upstream cellular signaling pathway associated with nitric oxide (NO)-mediated inhibition of phenylephrine-induced contraction in isolated rat aortae in response to mild hypothermia, with a particular focus on endothelial Rho-kinase. We examined the effects of mild hypothermia (33°C), wortmannin, Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), Y-27632, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and methylene blue, alone and combined, on phenylephrine-induced contraction in isolated rat aortae. Finally, we examined the effects of mild hypothermia, wortmannin, Y-27632 and L-NAME, alone and combined, on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and endothelial Rho-kinase membrane translocation induced by phenylephrine. ⋯ Wortmannin and L-NAME inhibited the enhancing effect of mild hypothermia on phenylephrine-induced eNOS phosphorylation. Y-27632 and L-NAME attenuated the enhancing effect of hypothermia on phenylephrine-induced endothelial Rho-kinase membrane translocation. The results suggest that hypothermia-induced, NO-dependent inhibition of phenylephrine-induced contraction is mediated by phosphoinositide 3-kinase and inhibited by endothelial Rho-kinase activation.
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Background and purpose: The discovery of chemical substances with carcinogenic properties has allowed the development of several experimental models of colorectal cancer (CRC). Classically, experimental models of CRC in mice have been evaluated through clinical or serial euthanasia. The present study aims to investigate the role of low endoscopy in the analysis of carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). ⋯ A worsening of inflammation scores from the first to the second endoscopy was also noticeable in the MNNG group. There were no bowel perforations related to the procedure, and there was one death in the control group. Conclusion: Low endoscopy in experimental animals allows safe macroscopic evaluation of colorectal carcinogenesis without the need for euthanasia.