Operative Treatment of Type 2 Endoleaks Involving the Inferior Mesenteric Artery.

Background: We report the results of the operative treatment for type 2 endoleak (T2E) involving the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) using the transarterial embolization (TAE) or the video laparoscopic ligation (VLS).

Methods: Between January 2005 and December 2015, we retrospectively analyzed 901 patients treated with endovascular aortic repair (EVAR): 883 (98%) had 1 valid postoperative radiologic evaluation, at least. All patients with operative repair for IMA-related T2E entered the final analysis.

Type-7 metabotropic glutamate receptors negatively regulate α-adrenergic receptor signalling.

We studied the interaction between mGlu7 and α-adrenergic receptors in heterologous expression systems, brain slices, and living animals. L-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutanoate (L-AP4), and l-serine-O-phosphate (L-SOP), which activate group III mGlu receptors, restrained the stimulation of polyphosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis induced by the α-adrenergic receptor agonist, phenylephrine, in HEK 293 cells co-expressing α-adrenergic and mGlu7 receptors. The inibitory action of L-AP4 was abrogated by (i) the mGlu7 receptor antagonist, XAP044; (ii) the C-terminal portion of type-2 G protein coupled receptor kinase; and (iii) the MAP kinase inhibitors, UO126 and PD98059.

Distal corporoplasty for distal cylinders extrusion after penile prosthesis implantation.

Introduction: Distal extrusion of cylinders is a potential complication of the penile prosthesis implantation. Several methods have been proposed for repairing a distal penile erosion. We present our preliminary experience in "Distal corporoplasty" technique.

Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males.

Background: Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular dietary approach used for weight loss and overall health. While there is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating beneficial effects of IF on blood lipids and other health outcomes in the overweight and obese, limited data are available about the effect of IF in athletes. Thus, the present study sought to investigate the effects of a modified IF protocol (i.

From the Blood to the Central Nervous System: A Nanoparticle's Journey Through the Blood-Brain Barrier by Transcytosis.

Designing nanoparticles that effectively enter the central nervous system (CNS) rapidly and without alteration is one of the major challenges in the use of nanotechnology for the brain. In this chapter, we explore the process of transcytosis, a receptor-mediated transport pathway that permits endogenous macromolecules to enter the CNS by crossing the blood-brain barrier. Transcytosis across the blood-brain barrier involves a number of distinct stages, including receptor binding, endocytosis into a transport vesicle, trafficking of the vesicle to the opposite side of the cell, and finally exocytosis and release of cargo.

Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Block Copolypeptoids - Micelles, Worms and Polymersomes.

Polypeptoids are an old but recently rediscovered polymer class with interesting synthetic, physico-chemical and biological characteristics. Here, we introduce new aromatic monomers, N-benzyl glycine N-carboxyanhydride and N-phenethyl glycine N-carboxyanhydride and their block copolymers with the hydrophilic polysarcosine. We compare their self-assembly in water and aqueous buffer with the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolypeptoids with aliphatic side chains.

Biomimetic Hybrid Nanocontainers with Selective Permeability.

Chemistry plays a crucial role in creating synthetic analogues of biomacromolecular structures. Of particular scientific and technological interest are biomimetic vesicles that are inspired by natural membrane compartments and organelles but avoid their drawbacks, such as membrane instability and limited control over cargo transport across the boundaries. In this study, completely synthetic vesicles were developed from stable polymeric walls and easy-to-engineer membrane DNA nanopores.

Effects of an adapted physical activity program on psychophysical health in elderly women.

Background: Several studies have shown the positive effects of adapted physical activity (APA) on physical and mental health (MH) during the lifetime. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a specific APA intervention program in the improvement of the health-related quality of life (QOL) and functional condition of spine in elderly women.

Methods: Thirty women were recruited from a senior center and randomly assigned to two groups: control group (CG; age: 69.

Expression of the K/Cl cotransporter, KCC2, in cerebellar Purkinje cells is regulated by group-I metabotropic glutamate receptors.

The neuronal K/Cl symporter, KCC2, shapes synaptic responses mediated by Cl-permeant GABA receptors. Moving from the evidence that excitatory neurotransmission drives changes in KCC2 expression in cerebellar neurons, we studied the regulation of KCC2 expression by group-I metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors in the cerebellum of adult mice. Mice lacking mGlu5 receptors showed a large reduction in cerebellar KCC2 protein levels and a loss of KCC2 immunoreactivity in Purkinje cells.

iRGD peptide conjugation potentiates intraperitoneal tumor delivery of paclitaxel with polymersomes.

Polymersomes are versatile nanoscale vesicles that can be used for cytoplasmic delivery of payloads. Recently, we demonstrated that pH-sensitive polymersomes exhibit an intrinsic selectivity towards intraperitoneal tumor lesions. A tumor homing peptide, iRGD, harbors a cryptic C-end Rule (CendR) motif that is responsible for neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) binding and for triggering extravasation and tumor penetration of the peptide.

Rescue of mitochondrial function in parkin-mutant fibroblasts using drug loaded PMPC-PDPA polymersomes and tubular polymersomes.

Mutations in parkin cause autosomal recessive Parkinsonism and mitochondrial defects. A recent drug screen identified a class of steroid-like hydrophobic compounds able to rescue mitochondrial function in parkin-mutant fibroblasts. Whilst these possess therapeutic potential, the size and high hydrophobicity of some may limit their ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier from systemic circulation, something that could be improved by novel drug formulations.

Cinnabarinic acid and xanthurenic acid: Two kynurenine metabolites that interact with metabotropic glutamate receptors.

Cinnabarinic and xanthurenic acids are kynurenine metabolites generated by oxidative dimerization of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid and transamination of 3-hydroxykynurenine, respectively. Recent evidence suggests that both compounds can affect brain function and neurotransmission and interact with metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors. Cinnabarinic acid behaves as an orthosteric agonist of mGlu4 receptors, whereas some of the in vitro and in vivo effects produced by xanthurenic acid appear to be mediated by the activation of mGlu2 and mGlu3 receptors.

Purification of Nanoparticles by Size and Shape.

Producing monodisperse nanoparticles is essential to ensure consistency in biological experiments and to enable a smooth translation into the clinic. Purification of samples into discrete sizes and shapes may not only improve sample quality, but also provide us with the tools to understand which physical properties of nanoparticles are beneficial for a drug delivery vector. In this study, using polymersomes as a model system, we explore four techniques for purifying pre-formed nanoparticles into discrete fractions based on their size, shape or density.

Neuron-specific knock-down of SMN1 causes neuron degeneration and death through an apoptotic mechanism.

Spinal muscular atrophy is a devastating disease that is characterized by degeneration and death of a specific subclass of motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord. Although the gene responsible, survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1), was identified 20 years ago, it has proven difficult to investigate its effects in vivo. Consequently, a number of key questions regarding the molecular and cellular functions of this molecule have remained unanswered.

Liquid biopsy as a novel tool to monitor the carcinogenesis of Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. For this reason, endoscopic-based surveillance protocols have been developed. This prevention program is, however, burdensome for the patients and expensive for the national health systems.

Prognostic Value of MR Imaging Texture Analysis in Brain Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Oligo-Metastases Undergoing Stereotactic Irradiation.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND : Stereotactic irradiation is widely used in brain oligo-metastases treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) texture analysis (TA) of brain metastases (BM) of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS : This study included thirty-eight consecutive patients undergoing stereotactic irradiation, that is, stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy (SRT) or radiosurgery (SRS), from January 2011 to December 2014 for 1-2 brain BM from NSCLC.

Kainic acid-induced albumin leak across the blood-brain barrier facilitates epileptiform hyperexcitability in limbic regions.

Objective: Systemic administration of kainic acid (KA) is a widely used procedure utilized to develop a model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Despite its ability to induce status epilepticus (SE) in vivo, KA applied to in vitro preparations induces only interictal-like activity and/or isolated ictal discharges. The possibility that extravasation of the serum protein albumin from the vascular compartment enhances KA-induced brain excitability is investigated here.

Molecular engineering of polymersome surface topology.

Biological systems exploit self-assembly to create complex structures whose arrangements are finely controlled from the molecular to mesoscopic level. We report an example of using fully synthetic systems that mimic two levels of self-assembly. We show the formation of vesicles using amphiphilic copolymers whose chemical nature is chosen to control both membrane formation and membrane-confined interactions.

Phase Ib study of poly-epitope peptide vaccination to thymidylate synthase (TSPP) and GOLFIG chemo-immunotherapy for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a tumor-associated enzyme critical for DNA replication and main 5'-fluorouracil (5'-FU) target. TSPP/VAC1 is a multi-arm trial phase-Ib trial program aimed to investigate the toxicity and biomodulatory activity of a poly-epitope-peptide vaccine to TS (TSPP) in cancer patients (pts). Here, we present the results of the TSPP/VAC1/arm C trial aimed to evaluate TSPP in combination with chemo-immunotherapy in pretreated metastatic colo-rectal cancer (mCRC) pts.

The impact of metabotropic glutamate receptors into active neurodegenerative processes: A "dark side" in the development of new symptomatic treatments for neurologic and psychiatric disorders.

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor ligands are under clinical development for the treatment of CNS disorders with high social and economic burden, such as schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), and are promising drug candidates for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). So far, clinical studies have shown symptomatic effects of mGlu receptor ligands, but it is unknown whether these drugs act as disease modifiers or, at the opposite end, they accelerate disease progression by enhancing neurodegeneration. This is a fundamental issue in the treatment of PD and AD, and is also an emerging theme in the treatment of schizophrenia and MDD, in which neurodegeneration is also present and contribute to disease progression.

A Self-Assembled Metallomacrocycle Singlet Oxygen Sensitizer for Photodynamic Therapy.

Although metal-ion-directed self-assembly has been widely used to construct a vast number of macrocycles and cages, it is only recently that the biological properties of these systems have begun to be explored. However, up until now, none of these studies have involved intrinsically photoexcitable self-assembled structures. Herein we report the first metallomacrocycle that functions as an intracellular singlet oxygen sensitizer.

Synthesis of an Amphiphilic Miktoarm Star Terpolymer for Self-Assembly into Patchy Polymersomes.

Herein we report the synthesis of an amphiphilic miktoarm star terpolymer and combine it with an equivalent diblock copolymer to form polymersomes with controlled surface topology. The three branches are ligated onto a central maleimide moiety in a reaction sequence that exploits various "click" chemistries. The final star was self-assembled with a linear block copolymer to generate a "patchy" surface on vesicles.

The influence of the stomatognathic system on explosive strength: a pilot study.

[Purpose] Recent findings suggest there is an interesting interaction between the stomatognathic system and the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the influence of the temporomandibular joint on the explosive strength of the lower limbs. [Subjects and Methods] An observational study was carried out.