Effect of Saffron on Metabolic Profile and Retina in Apolipoprotein E-Knockout Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

Saffron is a spice that has been traditionally used as a regimen for a variety of diseases due to its potent antioxidant attributes. It is well documented that impaired systemic oxidative status is firmly associated with diverse adverse effects including retinal damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of saffron administration against the retinal damage in apoE -/- mice fed a high-fat diet, since they constitute a designated experimental model susceptible to oxidative stress.

A historical overview of laryngeal carcinoma and the first total laryngectomies.

Laryngeal cancer was a well known entity since antiquity and its treatment evolved through several phases. The lack of knowledge in anatomy and pathology as well as the absence of anesthesia and proper instrumentation made the treatment almost impossible. Ancient physicians were performing laryngotomy or tracheotomy in an attempt to prevent the suffocation symptoms produced by tumoral masses.

Metabolic effects of and protective action against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in diabetic rats.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the result of the accumulation of adipose tissue deposits in the liver and it is associated with type 2 diabetes. (saffron) is known for its antioxidant and its potential hypoglycemic effects. We investigated the role of saffron on NAFLD in diabetic rats.

Sudden unexplained death in the young: epidemiology, aetiology and value of the clinically guided genetic screening.

Aims: To determine the incidence and the causes of sudden death (SD) in persons aged 1-35 years old and the diagnostic yield of clinically guided genetic screening in the sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) victims' families.

Methods And Results: Incidence and causes of SD in the Attica region of Greece in 2002-10 were determined using death certificates and autopsy reports. We evaluated clinically consecutive families of SADS victims and if a clinical diagnosis was established, we proceeded to targeted genetic analysis.

Age-related fibromuscular dysplasia in the human left ventricle papillary muscles arteries.

We describe histologically cases of patients between 31 and 60 years of age who had fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) in the tunica media (TM) of the left ventricle papillary muscles (PM) arteries. We also compared them with our previous findings in subjects younger than 30 years of age. We examined histologically samples taken from the tip of the anterior PM of the left ventricle in 200 healthy male hearts.