Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis in Europe: Literature Review and Own Experience.

Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is primary, Th2-mediated, chronic rhinosinusitis, which is diagnosed when the criteria defined by Bent and Khun are met. The disease is most common in countries located in the subtropical and tropical regions characterized by high temperatures and high levels of humidity, which favour the wider occurrence of fungi in the environment. The presence of specific IgE antibodies directed against fungal allergens, which is one of the diagnostic criteria, proves the systemic nature of the disease and allows one to distinguish AFRS from eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis.

A new pathway for naproxen utilisation by Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) and its decomposition in the presence of organic and inorganic contaminants.

Bacillus thuringiensis B1 (2015b) is a bacterial strain that is able to degrade naproxen. However, the potential effect of water co-contaminations on the degradation process and its pathway have not yet been evaluated. The results of our study show that in the presence of aromatic compounds, the B1 (2015b) strain utilised naproxen with an efficiency that was similar to what it was with no aromatic co-contaminations.

Naproxen ecotoxicity and biodegradation by Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) strain.

High level of naproxen consumption leads to the appearance of this drug in the environment but its possible effects on non-target organisms together with its biodegradation are not well studied. The aim of this work was to evaluate naproxen ecotoxicity by using the Microbial Assay for Risk Assessment. Moreover, Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) was tested for both ecotoxicity and the ability of this strain to degrade naproxen in cometabolic conditions.

The Favorable Effect of Empagliflozin on Erectile Function in an Experimental Model of Type 2 Diabetes.

Introduction: Following the results of the EMPA-REG Outcome trial, we hypothesized that empagliflozin, a highly potent and specific sodium/glucose cotransporteur 2 inhibitor, could improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-associated erectile dysfunction (ED), a highly prevalent complication of T2DM, very often coexisting with cardiovascular complications and considered as a prognostic factor of cardiovascular disease in men with diabetes.

Aim: To investigate the effects of chronic treatment with empagliflozin on ED in a T2DM rat model in the presence or absence of sildenafil.

Methods: Male Goto-Kakizaki (GK), a model of T2DM, and age-matched Wistar rats received placebo or empagliflozin treatment at 25.

Low Intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy Improves Erectile Function in a Model of Type II Diabetes Independently of NO/cGMP Pathway.

Purpose: Erectile dysfunction is highly prevalent in type II diabetes mellitus. Low intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy improves erectile function in patients with erectile dysfunction of vasculogenic origin, including diabetes. However, its mode of action remains unknown.

Biologically triggered liberation of sub-micron particles from alginate microcapsules.

A new method for triggering the burst liberation of encapsulated sub-micron particles from carrier particles using embedded microorganisms has been developed. Triggering mechanisms such as those based on chemical, light, thermal, or magnetic stimuli are known, but man-made particles are not yet able to replicate the concept of "dormancy" found in biological systems in the form of spores or seeds that survive in an inactive state and start to grow only once favourable environmental conditions are encountered. An engineered particle system that mimics this property by embedding viable yeast cells into synthetically made alginate microcapsules is reported in the present work.

Brain neuronal activation induced by flibanserin treatment in female rats.

Rationale: Flibanserin, a 5-HT1A agonist and 5-HT2A antagonist, is developed for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in women, and its efficacy has been evidenced in several clinical studies. Flibanserin prosexual effects have been also evidenced in preclinical animal models. However, the mechanism of action of flibanserin remains not fully understood.

An aryloxypropanolamine hβ3-adrenoceptor agonist as bladder smooth muscle relaxant.

The relaxant effect of an aryloxypropanolamine β3-adrenoceptor agonist on carbachol pre-contracted human detrusor muscle strips was evaluated and compared with literature results from reference compounds of similar mode of action, including mirabegron. A significant relaxation was observed for rac-4-{2-hydroxy-3-[1-(5-phenylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-yl)piperidin-4-ylamino]propoxy}-2-(hydroxymethyl)phenol which was similar to that exerted by mirabegron. In order to allow for a thorough discussion of results in comparison to reference compounds, their affinity, selectivity and efficacy as hβ3-AR agonists have been evaluated and discussed thoroughly.

Effects of potassium channel modulators on myogenic spontaneous phasic contractile activity in human detrusor from neurogenic patients.

Objective: To characterize the spontaneous contractile activity (SCA) developed by detrusor from patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) because the alteration of detrusor properties plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of detrusor overactivity, as well as to evaluate the role of K(ATP) and K(Ca) channels on this SCA because these channels regulate detrusor SCA in many species, including humans without overactive bladder (OAB).

Patients And Methods: Human bladder samples were obtained from 44 patients undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer with no known OAB symptoms and from 38 patients suffering from urodynamically diagnosed NDO. Detrusor strips with or without urothelium/suburothelium were mounted isometrically in organ baths filled with Krebs-HEPES (37 °C; 95% O(2) /5% CO(2) ).

Signalling pathways involved in sildenafil-induced relaxation of human bladder dome smooth muscle.

Background And Purpose: The mechanism(s) of action responsible for the beneficial effects of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors including sildenafil on lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostate hyperplasia are unclear. In particular, the role of the NO-cGMP signalling pathway in regulating human bladder dome smooth muscle relaxation is questionable. Thus, we assessed the ability of a PDE5 inhibitor, sildenafil, to relax such tissue, and identified the signalling pathways involved in this relaxation.

Combination of alfuzosin and tadalafil exerts an additive relaxant effect on human detrusor and prostatic tissues in vitro.

Background: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction (ED) are highly prevalent in aging men and are strongly linked. Alpha₁-blockers such as alfuzosin are effective monotherapies for LUTS. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as tadalafil are the first-line treatment for ED.

Combination of doxazosin and sildenafil exerts an additive relaxing effect compared with each compound alone on human cavernosal and prostatic tissue.

Introduction: Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5) such as sildenafil are first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). Alpha1 (alpha1)-adrenoceptor antagonists such as doxazosin are indicated for the treatment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). ED and LUTS/BPH are conditions that are often associated.

Impact of a long-term sildenafil treatment on pressor response in conscious rats with insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia.

Background: Insulin resistance constitutes a risk factor for endothelial dysfunction and subsequent cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. Daily treatment with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors has beneficial effects on endothelial function in men with increased cardiovascular risk. Endothelium-dependent vasomotor function is ultimately linked to blood pressure (BP) regulation.

Endothelial dysfunction in insulin-resistant rats is associated with oxidative stress and COX pathway dysregulation.

Because insulin resistance is inevitably associated with cardiovascular complications, there is a need to further investigate the potential involvement of oxidative stress and the cyclo-oxygenase (COX) pathway in the vascular modifications associated to this pathological context. Endothelial function was evaluated in control and fructose-fed rats (FFR) by i) in vitro study of endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxations of aortic rings, and ii) in vivo telemetric evaluation of pressor response to norepinephrine. After 9 weeks of diet, FFR displayed hypertriglyceridemia, hyperinsulinemia and exaggerated response to glucose overload.

Combination of alfuzosin and tadalafil exerts in vitro an additive relaxant effect on human corpus cavernosum.

Introduction: Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as tadalafil, are a first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). Nevertheless, some patients do not respond to this treatment. Clinical data suggest that the addition of alpha1-adrenoceptor blocker, such as alfuzosin, commonly prescribed for lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia, may be of benefit.

Daily treatment with sildenafil reverses endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress in an animal model of insulin resistance.

Objectives: Patients with insulin resistance exhibit endothelial dysfunction with decreased nitric oxide (NO) production and increased oxidative stress. We postulated that daily sildenafil improved endothelial function in fructose-fed rats.

Methods And Results: Wistar rats were fed a standard or fructose-enriched diet (FFR) for 9 wk.

Relaxation of phasic contractile activity of human detrusor strips by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 4 inhibition.

Objectives: Detrusor smooth muscle relaxation is mainly mediated by the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway. Elevation of cAMP levels by phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE4) inhibition relaxes smooth muscles of various origins. We aimed to determine the effect of a PDE4 inhibitor, rolipram, on human detrusor contractions.

Effects of potassium channel modulators on human detrusor smooth muscle myogenic phasic contractile activity: potential therapeutic targets for overactive bladder.

Objectives: Increased urinary bladder detrusor smooth muscle phasic contractility has been suggested to be associated with idiopathic bladder overactivity (OAB). We examined the role of voltage-dependent L-type calcium channels, adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels, and calcium-activated potassium (BK(Ca) and SK(Ca)) channels in the regulation of human detrusor phasic contractile activity.

Methods: Isolated human bladder strip phasic contractions were measured and quantified as the mean area under the force-time curve, amplitude, and frequency of phasic contractions in 22 bladder samples.

Piboserod (SB 207266), a selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, reduces serotonin potentiation of neurally-mediated contractile responses of human detrusor muscle.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potency of piboserod (SB 207266), a selective 5-HT(4) receptor antagonist, at inhibiting the 5-HT(4)-mediated potentiating effect of serotonin (5-HT) on the neurally-mediated contractile responses of human detrusor strips to electrical field stimulations (EFS). Strips of human detrusor muscle were mounted in Krebs-HEPES buffer under a resting tension of 500 mg and EFS (20 Hz, 1 ms duration at 300 mA for 5 s) was applied continuously at 1 min intervals. After stabilization of the EFS-induced contractions, concentration-response curves to 5-HT (0.

Chronic sildenafil improves erectile function and endothelium-dependent cavernosal relaxations in rats: lack of tachyphylaxis.

Objectives: Sildenafil is a widely-prescribed effective on-demand treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Chronic treatment with sildenafil could help patients with ED.

Methods: The effects of an 8-week long treatment with sildenafil (60 mg/kg/d sc) in male Sprague Dawley rats were evaluated on electrically-elicited erectile responses in vivo before and after an acute injection of sildenafil (0.

[Oxidative stress in experimental acute glomerulonephritis].

The aim of this study was to estimate the concentration of lipid peroxidation products (TBARS -thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) in serum and in renal cortex, and erythrocytes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in blood during the development of experimental acute glomerulonephritis. Total antioxidant capacity of plasma and some of plasma nonenzymatic antioxidants, such as total protein level and uric acid were also measured. Acute glomerulonephritis was induced by intravenous injection of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in rabbits, at a dose of 250 mg/kg.

Erectile dysfunction: an early marker for hypertension? A longitudinal study in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is another manifestation of vascular disease. We evaluated the natural history of ED in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and the respective participation of associated pathophysiological modifications, i.e.

Nitric oxide decreases renal medullary Na+, K+-ATPase activity through cyclic GMP-protein kinase G dependent mechanism.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nitric oxide on renal Na+,K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H+,K(+)-ATPase activities. The study was performed in male Wistar rats. The investigated substances were infused under general anaesthesia into abdominal aorta proximally to the renal arteries.

Regulation of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase by the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A signal transduction pathway.

We investigated the effect of the cyclic AMP-protein kinase A (PKA) signalling pathway on renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase. Male Wistar rats were anaesthetized and catheter was inserted through the femoral artery into the abdominal aorta proximally to the renal arteries for infusion of the investigated substances. Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity was measured in the presence of Sch 28080 to block ouabain-sensitive H(+),K(+)-ATPase and improve specificity of the assay.