New Insights into the Neural Differentiation Potential of Canine Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) can be obtained from different adipose tissue sources within the body. It is an abundant cell pool, easily accessible, suitable for cultivation and expansion in vitro and preparation for therapeutic approaches. Amongst these therapeutic approaches are tissue engineering and nervous system disorders such as spinal cord injuries.

The growing world of expansins.

Expansins are cell wall proteins that induce pH-dependent wall extension and stress relaxation in a characteristic and unique manner. Two families of expansins are known, named alpha- and beta-expansins, and they comprise large multigene families whose members show diverse organ-, tissue- and cell-specific expression patterns. Other genes that bear distant sequence similarity to expansins are also represented in the sequence databases, but their biological and biochemical functions have not yet been uncovered.

Endoscopy for hematochezia in patients under 50 years of age.

The optimal strategy for evaluating rectal bleeding in young persons is unknown. This study examines the prevalence of adenomatous neoplasms identified at endoscopy for rectal bleeding. Retrospective cross-sectional analysis was made of patients under 50 years of age undergoing elective outpatient colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy for hematochezia.

Dieulafoy's lesion of the small bowel causing massive gastrointestinal bleeding: two case reports and literature review.

Dieulafoy's lesions are an often unrecognized cause of obscure, massive GI hemorrhage. Their diagnosis may elude conventional investigations, including upper and lower endoscopy, arteriography, and even laparotomy. In this paper, we report two cases of small-bowel Dieulafoy lesions.

Melanoma in the gastrointestinal tract.

Objective: This article focuses on the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of malignant melanoma metastases to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The subject of primary malignant melanoma arising from the GI tract is also discussed. Malignant melanoma is the most common tumor metastatic to the GI tract, and can present with fairly non-specific symptoms.

Antihypertensive therapy with isradipine in patients with special safety concerns.

Treatment of hypertension in the complicated patient requires a specialized approach focusing on the treatment of the blood pressure and concurrent medical problems. Therapy must be chosen in consideration of the patient's age, multiple illnesses, declining organ function, and possible drug interactions. This requires that the antihypertensive agent chosen have a demonstrated safe profile.

The effect of renal transplantation on plasma protein binding.

The in vitro plasma protein binding was determined in nine maintenance hemodialysis patients who later underwent renal transplantation. The organic acid fluorescein (10 micrograms/ml) or the organic base quinidine (5 micrograms/ml) was added to the pre and post transplant serum of these patients. Drug concentrations were measured spectrophotofluorometrically after equilibrium dialysis.