A series of well-described anabolic and catabolic neuropeptides are known to provide short-term, homeostatic control of energy balance. The mechanisms that govern long-term, rheostatic control of regulated changes in energy balance are less well characterized. Using the robust and repeatable seasonal changes in body mass observed in Siberian hamsters, this report examined the role of prolactin in providing long-term rheostatic control of body mass and photoinduced changes in organ mass (ie, kidney, brown adipose tissue, uterine, and spleen).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPatients with sternal wounds, infection, or non-union after cardiac surgery continue to have increased morbidity and mortality rates compared with those without sternal complications. Reconstructive methods have largely centered on soft tissue approaches, including muscle or omental flaps, which result in functional loss. Some data show early positive advantages using sternal rigid plate fixation (SRPF), however, it is debated in the setting of active infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAdvanced practice providers (APPs) are increasingly being used in a variety of healthcare settings to provide care, treatment, and services to patients with cancer. They are also being deployed to acute oncologic settings to enhance patient care delivery and address the ever-evolving needs of patients in academic medicine. In response, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center developed a series of innovative clinical programs staffed by acute care APPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTriple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) lacks the expression of estrogen receptor α, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC patients lack targeted therapies, as they fail to respond to endocrine and anti-HER2 therapy. Prognosis for this aggressive cancer subtype is poor and survival is limited due to the development of resistance to available chemotherapies and resultant metastases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostnatal intake of an energy dense diet, the Western diet (WD), is a strong risk factor for liver fibrosis. Recently, adverse in utero conditions resulting in low birth weight (LBW) have also been associated with postnatal fibrosis development. We assessed the independent and possible synergistic effects of placental insufficiency-induced LBW and postnatal WD consumption on liver fibrosis in early adulthood, with a specific focus on changes in inflammation and apoptosis pathways in association with fibrogenesis.
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