Constructing 3D In Vitro Models of Heterocellular Solid Tumors and Stromal Tissues Using Extrusion-Based Bioprinting.

Malignant tumor tissues exhibit inter- and intratumoral heterogeneities, aberrant development, dynamic stromal composition, diverse tissue phenotypes, and cell populations growing within localized mechanical stresses in hypoxic conditions. Experimental tumor models employing engineered systems that isolate and study these complex variables using techniques are under development as complementary methods to preclinical models. Here, advances in extrusion bioprinting as an enabling technology to recreate the three-dimensional tumor milieu and its complex heterogeneous characteristics are reviewed.

Growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I axis, glucose metabolism, and lypolisis but not leptin show some degree of refractoriness to short-term fasting in acromegaly.

Starvation exerts critical influence on somatotroph and leptin secretion. Fasting enhances GH levels in normal subjects, but not in GH hyposecretory states, while it always inhibits leptin secretion. We aimed to clarify the GH/IGF-I and metabolic response to short-term fasting in a GH hypersecretory state such as acromegaly.

Somatostatin analogs and gallstones: a retrospective survey on a large series of acromegalic patients.

Context: Development of gallstones (GS) is reported during the use of somatostatin analogs (SA) that are at present the mainstay for the medical treatment of acromegaly.

Objective: To review the prevalence and clinical and biochemical correlates of GS in acromegalic patients.

Design And Setting: Retrospective survey on hospital records in acromegalic patients followed up in the last 20 yr in tertiary referral centers.

Diagnosis of adult GH deficiency.

Based on previous consensus statements, it has been widely accepted that the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency (GHD) must be shown biochemically by provocative tests of GH secretion; in fact, the measurement of IGF-I as well as of other markers was considered unable to distinguish between normal and GHD subjects. The Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT) was indicated as that of choice and severe GHD defined by a GH peak lower than 3 microg/l. It is now recognized that, although normal IGF-I levels do not rule out severe GHD, very low IGF-I levels in patients highly suspected for GHD (i.

Cortistatin-17 and somatostatin-14 display the same effects on growth hormone, prolactin, and insulin secretion in patients with acromegaly or prolactinoma.

Context: Cortistatin binds all somatostatin receptor subtypes but also has particular central actions; moreover, a specific cortistatin receptor has also been discovered.

Objective: We compared the endocrine effects of cortistatin-17 with those of somatostatin-14 in patients with acromegaly (ACRO) or prolactinoma (PRLOMA). Normal subjects (NS) were studied as control group.