Unraveling the Anti-Cancer Mechanisms of Antibiotics: Current Insights, Controversies, and Future Perspectives.

Cancer persists as a significant global health challenge, claiming millions of lives annually despite remarkable strides in therapeutic innovation. Challenges such as drug resistance, toxicity, and suboptimal efficacy underscore the need for novel treatment paradigms. In this context, the repurposing of antibiotics as anti-cancer agents has emerged as an attractive prospect for investigation.

The Putative Antidiabetic Effect of on Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM), a global disease that significantly impacts public health, has become increasingly common over time. In this review, we aim to determine the potential benefits of St. John's Wort (SJW) as an adjunct therapy for DM.

The relationship between residual insulin secretion and subclinical cardiovascular risk indices in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Background: Patients with type 1 diabetes (DM1), even in the setting of adequate glycaemic control, have an excess risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Residual insulin secretion (RIS), measured by detectable C-peptide levels in patients with DM1, might protect against diabetes-related complications. This study aimed to examine the relationship between residual insulin secretion and prognostic markers of cardiovascular complications in patients with DM1.

l-Securinine Induces ROS-Dependent Apoptosis on Pancreatic Cancer Cells via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway.

Accumulating evidence has shown that l-securinine can, in certain circumstances, suppress tumor development by elevating reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The current work set out to examine l-securinine's apoptotic effects on HuP-T3 cells as well as any potential underlying molecular mechanism(s) that could explain its action as an anticancer agent. In this study, we used 1.

Cytokeratin 18 as a Novel Biomarker in Patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a heart muscle disease associated with an increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Cytokeratin 18-based proteins, such as M30 and M65 antigens, are known cell-death biomarkers. M30 antigen is released from cells during apoptosis, and M65 antigen is released during cell death from any cause, such as apoptosis or necrosis.

Nephrectomy as Salvage Treatment After an Unsuccessful Embolization of a Huge Incidental Renal Artery Aneurysm With an Arteriovenous Fistula.

Renal artery aneurysms (RAA) with a concomitant renal arteriovenous fistula (RAVF) are rare entities with a reported incidence of less than 1%. An 86-year-old man was admitted to the urology department after an incidental finding of a left RAA on an abdominal ultrasound. A computed tomography angiography (CTA) revealed a saccular aneurysm measuring 54x42mm in the distal part of the left renal artery, along with a huge arteriovenous fistula measuring 45mm.

Clinical Importance of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK)-Src and Paxillin Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background And Objective: The complex focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src and paxillin seem to play a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of these proteins in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), considering the immunoreactive score (IRS), the positivity and the intensity, and to find any association with patients' clinical characteristics, histologic type and other pathological features that imply a possible pathophysiological or prognostic role of FAK/Src and paxillin in RCC.

Methods: Patients with RCC who had undergone partial or radical nephrectomy from January 2009 to September 2010 were eligible for this retrospective cross-sectional study.

A Rare Case of Extra-renal Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the predominant solid lesion found in the kidney. Extra-renal RCC is a rare entity. We present the case of a 75-year-old male with an incidentally discovered mass in the right iliac fossa.

A Single Center, Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of Topical Application of ReGenerating Tissue Agents (RGTA) Technology in Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes mellitus. Clinical data from the use of ReGenerating Tissue Agents (RGTA) technology in patients with DFUs are scarce. The objective of this randomized controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of RGTA technology in the management of DFUs.

Circulating total and H-specific GDF15 levels are elevated in subjects with MASLD but not in hyperlipidemic but otherwise metabolically healthy subjects with obesity.

Background: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a mitokine, the role of which, total or H-specific, in modulating energy metabolism and homeostasis in obesity-related diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), has not been fully elucidated in adult humans. We aimed to investigate the fasting and stimulated levels of GDF15, total and H-specific, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and C-peptide, in two physiology interventional studies: one focusing on obesity, and the other on MASLD.

Methods: Study 1 investigated individuals with normal weight or with obesity, undergoing a 3-h mixed meal test (MMT); and study 2, examined adults with MASLD and controls undergoing a 120-min oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Geospatial epidemiology of coronary artery disease treated with percutaneous coronary intervention in Crete, Greece.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) constitutes a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is indicated in a significant proportion of CAD patients, either to improve prognosis or to relieve symptoms not responding to optimal medical therapy. Thus the annual number of patients undergoing PCI in a given geographical area could serve as a surrogate marker of the total CAD burden there.

Hydrogel formats to model potential drug interactions occurring at the subcutaneous injection site.

We have previously developed an in vitro instrument, termed subcutaneous injection site simulator (SCISSOR), that can be used to monitor release properties of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and formulation components of a medicine designed for SC injection. Initial studies to validate the SCISSOR instrument applications used a simple hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel to monitor early release events. We now report a type of cross-linked HA that can, when combined with HA, provide a hydrogel (HA-XR) with optical clarity and rheological properties that remain stable for at least 6 days.

Effects of Wheat Biscuits Enriched with Plant Proteins Incorporated into an Energy-Restricted Dietary Plan on Postprandial Metabolic Responses of Women with Overweight/Obesity.

This study investigates the effect of daily consumption of wheat biscuits enriched with plant proteins in postprandial metabolic responses of women with overweight/obesity who follow an energy-restricted diet. Thirty apparently healthy women participated in a 12-week randomized controlled trial and were assigned either to a control (CB) or an intervention (PB) group. Participants consumed daily either a conventional (CB) or an isocaloric wheat biscuit enriched with plant proteins (PB) containing high amounts of amino acids with appetite-regulating properties, i.

Renal Endometriosis Mimics Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Hypoplastic Kidney: A Case Report.

is a rare disorder of cases of urinary tract endometriosis. A 42-year-old woman presented at our outpatient department with an incidental painless mass on her left hypoplastic kidney revealed on an abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal and pelvic examinations revealed no abnormal findings.

The Association of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms with COVID-19 Severity.

Background: Association studies of vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms with COVID-19 severity have produced inconsistent results in different populations. Herein we examined gene polymorphisms in a Caucasian Greek cohort of COVID-19 patients.

Methods: This was a case-control study in a tertiary university hospital in Greece including 137 COVID-19 patients with varying disease severities and 72 healthy individuals.

Clinical Importance of Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor (CB1R) and Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor (CB2R) Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background and objective The purpose of our study was to assess the expression of cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) and cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R), including positivity, intensity, percentage, site of distribution, and immunohistochemical score, in renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and explore their correlation with various clinicopathological aspects. Methodology We retrospectively obtained data and specimens from 87 patients diagnosed with RCC after partial or radical nephrectomy, and the CB1R and CB2R expression was assessed immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded tissues. The results were statistically analyzed uni- and multi-factorial along with clinicopathological parameters.

What is New on Diabetic Neuropathy? Insights from the 2023 ADA and EASD Conferences.

Diabetic neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes; yet its pathophysiology is still incompletely understood and until today, there is no specific treatment against it. In the two 2023 large congresses on diabetes (American Diabetes Association, ADA, European Association for the Study of Diabetes, EASD), several high-level studies have been presented. They have attempted to delineate the pathophysiology of DN, the characteristics of affected patients, and future potential treatments.

Incidental finding of an angiomyxoma of the urinary bladder: A case report of a rare but aggressive tumour.

Angiomyxoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor arising in the pelvic and perineal regions. Diagnosis of urinary bladder angiomyxoma is difficult, as it lacks typical signs and symptoms, and relies on immunochemistry. We present the case of a 53 year old patient presenting with an incidental finding of bladder tumor during an ultrasound.

Bariatric surgery, through beneficial effects on underlying mechanisms, improves cardiorenal and liver metabolic risk over an average of ten years of observation: A longitudinal and a case-control study.

Background: Bariatric surgery has long-term beneficial effects on body weight and metabolic status, but there is an apparent lack of comprehensive cardiometabolic, renal, liver, and metabolomic/lipidomic panels, whereas the underlying mechanisms driving the observed postoperative ameliorations are still poorly investigated. We aimed to study the long-term effects of bariatric surgery on metabolic profile, cardiorenal and liver outcomes in association with underlying postoperative gut hormone adaptations.

Methods: 28 individuals who underwent bariatric surgery [17 sleeve gastrectomy (SG), 11 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)] were followed up 3, 6 and 12 and at 10 years following surgery.

Effects of Hypericin on Cultured Primary Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts Under Increased Oxidative Stress.

Introduction: Wound healing is a dynamic process that begins with inflammation, proliferation, and cell migration of a variety of fibroblast cells. As a result, identifying possible compounds that may improve fibroblast cell wound healing capacity is crucial. Hypericin is a natural quinine that has been reported to possess a wide range of pharmacological profiles, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, activities.

Renal Perfusion, Oxygenation and Metabolism: The Role of Imaging.

Thanks to technical advances in the field of medical imaging, it is now possible to study key features of renal anatomy and physiology, but so far poorly explored due to the inherent difficulties in studying both the metabolism and vasculature of the human kidney. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of recent research findings on renal perfusion, oxygenation, and substrate uptake. Most studies evaluating renal perfusion with positron emission tomography (PET) have been performed in healthy controls, and specific target populations like obese individuals or patients with renovascular disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD) have rarely been assessed.

Surgical Treatment of Solitary Metachronous Adrenal Metastasis from Urothelial Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder.

Urothelial cancer is a common neoplasm and metastatic disease correlates with a poor prognosis. Isolated adrenal gland metastases of urothelial carcinoma are quite rare, and management options can decide a patient's prognosis. Herein we report the case of a 76-year-old man with a metachronous solitary adrenal metastasis from a bladder carcinoma, who underwent adrenalectomy as part of his treatment.

Effects of Advanced Glycation End Products Oxidative Stress on Beta Cells: Insights from and Studies and Update on Emerging Therapies.

Background: Protein, lipid, and nucleic acid glycation reactions begin and continue as a result of persistent hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus. Advanced glycated end products (AGEs) are a complex group of chemical moieties that are formed as a result of the glycation process and play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. When AGEs interact with their cellular receptor (RAGE), numerous signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa-light-chainenhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK), are activated, increasing oxidative stress.