Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss and ménière syndrome: The role of cerebral venous drainage.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of cerebral venous drainage on the pathogenesis of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) and Ménière syndrome (MD).

Design: Observational, prospective, cohort study.

Setting: ENT and Cardiology Departments (University of Bari, Policlinico Hospital, Bari, Italy).

Endothelial and Metabolic Function Interactions in Overweight/Obese Children.

Aim: Although the underlined mechanisms are still unknown, metabolic/coagulation alterations related to childhood obesity can induce vascular impairments. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic/coagulation parameters and endothelial function/vascular morphology in overweight/obese children.

Methods: Thirty-five obese/overweight children (22 pre-pubertal, mean age: 9.

Monitoring biological action of rapamycin in renal transplantation.

Background: Inhibition of P70S6 kinase (P70(S6K)) phosphorylation in activated T cells is 1 of the major mechanisms by which rapamycin exerts its immunosuppressive action.

Study Design: Observational cohort study.

Settings & Participants: 2 different groups of kidney transplant recipients at a single center: 30 transplant recipients converted from mycophenolic acid and low-dose prednisone plus cyclosporine A to mycophenolic acid and low-dose prednisone plus rapamycin therapy for chronic allograft nephropathy (group 1) and 16 recipients of suboptimal organs converted from tacrolimus plus rapamycin to rapamycin therapy alone after 3 months (group 2).

Chronic inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling downregulates insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 and AKT activation: A crossroad between cancer and diabetes?

Overactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) branch downstream of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT pathway critically modulates insulin and growth factor signaling by insulin receptor substrates (IRS). On the basis of in vitro studies, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin has been reported to lead to enhanced activation of AKT by relieving this feedback inhibition on IRS function. In view of the critical role of AKT in insulin signaling and tumorigenesis, the in vivo expression and activation of this kinase and of IRS-1 and IRS-2 were explored in PBMC of 30 patients who were treated long term with rapamycin.