Modafinil exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects by upregulating adenosine A and A receptors.

Adenosine receptor (AR) suppresses inflammation and fibrosis by activating cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. We investigated whether altered AR expression contributes to the development of fibrotic diseases and whether AAR and AAR upregulation inhibits fibrotic responses. Primary human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) from normal (NHLFs) or patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (DHLF) were used for in vitro testing.

Losartan Reduces Remodeling and Apoptosis in an Adriamycin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Rat Model.

Background: The use of Adriamycin (ADR), also known as doxorubicin, as a chemotherapy agent is limited by its detrimental adverse effects, especially cardiotoxicity. Recent studies have emphasized the crucial role of angiotensin II (Ang-II) in the development of ADR-induced cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to explore the potential cardioprotective effects of losartan in a rat model of ADR-induced cardiomyopathy.

Pulmonary Multinodular Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma with Mixed Progression and Spontaneous Regression during a 7-Year Follow-Up: A Case Report and Review of Imaging Findings.

Pulmonary epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (PEH) is a rare vascular tumor of borderline or low-grade malignancy, and its prognosis is unpredictable. Herein, we describe the case of a 47-year-old asymptomatic female with a diagnosis of multinodular PEH. During a 7-year follow-up, the nodules with large size and high F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the initial study showed progression with increasing sizes; however, most small nodules (size < 1 cm) demonstrated spontaneous regression with peripheral rim or nodular calcification.

Pleural Schwannoma Suspected as Metastasis of Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND Differentiating a distant lesion in breast cancer patients can be challenging. Although pleural schwannoma in breast cancer patient is unusual, clinicians may encounter many similar benign lesions mimicking metastatic breast cancer. CASE REPORT Herein, we present the case of a 62-year-old female patient who developed schwannoma on her pleura, which was suspected as metastasis of breast cancer.

Effect of Ambrisentan Therapy on the Expression of Endothelin Receptor, Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase and NADPH Oxidase 4 in Monocrotaline-induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Rat Model.

Background And Objectives: Elevated endothelin (ET)-1 level is strongly correlated with the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Expression level of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NOX) 4 is increased in the PAH patients. Ambrisentan, a selective endothelin receptor A (ERA) antagonist, is widely used in PAH therapy.

Changes of Bax, Bcl-2, CCR-2, MCP-1, and TGF-β1 genes in the left ventricle of spontaneously hypertensive rat after losartan treatment.

Purpose: Increased apoptosis was recently found in the hypertrophied left ventricle of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Although the available evidence suggests that apoptosis can be induced in cardiac cells by various insults including pressure overload, cardiac apoptosis appears to result from an exaggerated local production of angiotensin in adult SHRs. Altered expressions of Bcl associated X (Bax), Bcl-2, chemokine receptor (CCR)-2, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (PERK), and connexin 43 proteins, and kallikrein mRNA were investigated to explore the effects of losartan on the SHR model.

Change of voltage-gated potassium channel 1.7 expressions in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension rat model.

Purpose: Abnormal potassium channels expression affects vessel function, including vascular tone and proliferation rate. Diverse potassium channels, including voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels, are involved in pathological changes of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Since the role of the Kv1.

The effect of interscalene block on ipsilateral shoulder pain and pulmonary function in patients undergoing lung lobectomy: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Postoperative ipsilateral shoulder pain occurs in 37% to 68% of patients undergoing a thoracotomy. We examined whether interscalene brachial plexus block using a lower concentration of local anesthetic would reduce the incidence of post-thoracotomy ipsilateral shoulder pain with assessment of pulmonary function in patients who underwent a lung lobectomy.

Methods: Forty-four patients who underwent a lung lobectomy were randomly assigned to either the control or the interscalene block group.

Apoptosis and remodeling in adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy rat model.

Purpose: The mechanism for the pathogenesis of adriamycin (ADR)-induced cardiomyopathy is not yet known. Different hypotheses include the production of free radicals, an interaction between ADR and nuclear components, and a disruption in cardiac-specific gene expression. Apoptosis has also been proposed as being involved in cardiac dysfunction.

Benign superior vena cava syndrome with uncontrolled pleural effusion by calcified mediastinal lymphadenopathy: surgical management.

This report describes a rare case of benign superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) accompanying recalcitrant pleural effusion developed secondary to extrinsic compression by anthracotic calcified mediastinal lymphadenopathy which was corrected by surgical bypass graft. An 81-year-old female presented with recalcitrant pleural effusion for several months despite of medical treatments. SVCS developed progressively without any other radiological evidence of malignancy or active infection on initial chest computed tomography (CT).

Optimal Dose and Timing of Umbilical Stem Cells Treatment in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertensive Rats.

Purpose: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease which is characterized by an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure leading to increases in right ventricular afterload. Human umbilical cord blood derived-mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) administered via the jugular vein have been previously shown to improve PAH by reversal treatment. However, the effect of low dosage and transfusion timing of hUCB-MSCs on PAH has not yet been clearly established.

The effect of sildenafil on right ventricular remodeling in a rat model of monocrotaline-induced right ventricular failure.

Purpose: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) leads to right ventricular failure (RVF) as well as an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. Our purpose was to study the effect of sildenafil on right ventricular remodeling in a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced RVF.

Methods: The rats were distributed randomly into 3 groups.

Localized malignant pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma misdiagnosed as benign localized fibrous tumor.

Localized malignant pleural mesothelioma (LMPM) is a rare tumor with good prognosis by surgical resection. We report an atypical case of malignant pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma (SM) in an asymptomatic 65-year-old woman, who had no history of exposure to asbestos. She presented with a small pleural mass without pleural effusion and was misdiagnosed as a benign localized fibrous tumor (BLFT) on pathologic examination through a surgical tumor specimen.

Reduced immunoreactivities of B-type natriuretic peptide in pulmonary arterial hypertension rats after ranolazine treatment.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe pulmonary vascular disease characterized by sustained increase in the pulmonary arterial pressure and excessive thickening and remodeling of the distal small pulmonary arteries. During disease progression, structural remodeling of the right ventricular (RV) impairs pump function, creates pro-arrhythmic substrates and triggers for arrhythmias. Notably, RV failure and lethal arrhythmias are major contributors to cardiac death in PAH that are not directly addressed by currently available therapies.

Changes of blood pressure, abdominal visceral fat tissue and gene expressions in fetal programming induced rat model after amlodipine-losartan combination treatment.

Background: There are a number of complications that can occur if there is under-nutrition during pregnancy followed by a period of rapid catch-up growth, including a higher chance of adult obesity, insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of fetal under-nutrition during late pregnancy and lactation on blood pressure, visceral fat tissue, gene expressions and to evaluate changes after amlodipine- losartan combination treatment.

Methods: The rats were divided into three groups: the control (C) group, the food restriction (FR: 50 % food restricted diet) group, and the CX group, which was treated with Cozaar XQ (amlodipine- losartan combination drug) in FR rats from postnatal 4 to 20 weeks.

Modafinil improves monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) progressively leads to increases in pulmonary vasoconstriction. Modafinil plays a role in vasorelaxation and blocking KCa3.1 channel with a result of elevating intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels.

Changes in Caspase-3, B Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma-2, Interleukin-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Expression after Human Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transfusion in Pulmonary Hypertension Rat Models.

Background And Objectives: Failure of vascular smooth muscle apoptosis and inflammatory response in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a current research focus. The goals of this study were to determine changes in select gene expressions in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat models after human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) transfusion.

Materials And Methods: The rats were separated into 3 groups i.

Spontaneous pneumothorax as the first manifestation of lung cancer: two case report.

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP), as the first manifestation of lung cancer, is relatively rare, with reported occurrence rate of between 0.03% and 0.05%.

The Effect of Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Monocrotaline-induced Pulmonary Artery Hypertension Rats.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) causes right ventricular failure due to a gradual increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. The purposes of this study were to confirm the engraftment of human umbilical cord blood-mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) placed in the correct place in the lung and research on changes of hemodynamics, pulmonary pathology, immunomodulation and several gene expressions in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rat models after hUCB-MSCs transfusion. The rats were grouped as follows: the control (C) group; the M group (MCT 60 mg/kg); the U group (hUCB-MSCs transfusion).

Isolation and in vitro culture of vascular endothelial cells from mice.

In cardiovascular disorders, understanding of endothelial cell (EC) function is essential to elucidate the disease mechanism. Although the mouse model has many advantages for in vivo and in vitro research, efficient procedures for the isolation and propagation of primary mouse EC have been problematic. We describe a high yield process for isolation and in vitro culture of primary EC from mouse arteries (aorta, braches of superior mesenteric artery, and cerebral arteries from the circle of Willis).

Microarray analysis after umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells injection in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary artery hypertension rats.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is associated with structural alterations of lung vasculature. PAH is still a devastating disease needing an aggressive therapeutic approach. Despite the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the molecular parameters to define the stemness remain largely unknown.

Retroperitoneal nongestational choriocarcinoma in a 25-year-old woman.

Choriocarcinoma is a highly invasive and metastatic neoplasm which arises in women of reproductive age. It can be either gestational or nongestational in origin, but the latter form is very rare. Choriocarcinoma is characterized by the production of human chorionic gonadotropin.

Apoptosis and inflammation associated gene expressions in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats after bosentan treatment.

Background And Objectives: Vascular wall remodeling in pulmonary hypertension can be caused by an aberration in the normal balance between proliferation and apoptosis of endothelial cell in the pulmonary artery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of bosentan on apoptosis in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Materials And Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (C) group, M group (MCT 60 mg/kg) and B group (MCT 60 mg/kg plus bosentan 20 mg/day orally).

An inhibitory effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha antagonist to gene expression in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats model.

Purpose: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is thought to contribute to pulmonary hypertension. We aimed to investigate the effect of infliximab (TNF-α antagonist) treatment on pathologic findings and gene expression in a monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension rat model.

Methods: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to 3 groups: control (C), single subcutaneous injection of normal saline (0.