The role of melatonin in preventing amiodarone-induced rat liver damage.

Long-term exposure to amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, can induce different organ damage, including liver. Cell damage included by amiodarone is a consequence of mitochondrial damage, reactive oxygen species production, and cell energy depletion leading to programmed cell death. In the present study, hepatoprotective potential of neurohormone melatonin (50 mg/kg/day) was evaluated in a chronic experimental model of liver damage induced by a 4-week application of amiodarone (70 mg/kg/day).

Association of Plasma Renalase and Left Ventricle Mass Index in Heart Failure Patients Stratified to the Category of the Ejection Fraction: A Pilot Study.

Heart failure represents a growing health problem, with increasing morbidity and mortality globally. According to the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure, many biomarkers have been proposed for the timely diagnosis and prognostication of patients with heart failure, but other than natriuretic peptides, none of them has gained enough clinical significance. Renalase, a new protein derived from kidneys was demonstrated to metabolize catecholamines and to have a cardioprotective role.

Detrimental effects of a bout of physical exercise on circulating endogenous inhibitors of endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: A bout of intense physical activity has been shown to transiently impair endothelial function; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear.

Aim: The purpose of the review was to assess the impact of a bout of physical exercise induced by exercise stress echocardiography, on blood concentration of the endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), in patients with atherosclerosis.

Methods: Overall, 83 study participants were enrolled, 25 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, 20 age and sex-matched asymptomatic study participants with at least one risk factor for CAD, and 38 healthy controls.

Crosstalk of Various Biomarkers That Might Provide Prompt Identification of Acute or Chronic Cardiorenal Syndromes.

Introduction: Pathophysiological interaction between the heart and kidneys represents the basis for clinical entities called cardiorenal syndromes. The purpose of the study was to assess the relations between acute and chronic cardiorenal syndromes and biomarkers [advanced oxidation protein products, brain natriuretic peptide, malondialdehyde, xanthine oxidoreductase (XOD), xanthine oxidase, xanthine dehydrogenase, interleukin 8, cystatin C, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, high-sensitive troponin T, C-reactive protein and glomerular filtration rate, measured by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) formula], to hypothesize biomarkers that might provide a prompt identification of acute or chronic cardiorenal syndromes, and to distinguish acute versus chronic types of these syndromes.

Methods: A total of 114 participants were enrolled in this study, i.

The significance of adiponectin as a biomarker in metabolic syndrome and/or coronary artery disease.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/AIM. Adiponectin exerts profound protective actions during insulin resistence or prediabetes progression towards more severe clinical entities such as metabolic syndrome and/or cardiovascular disease. Since hypoadiponectinaemia contributes to the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease the level of circulating adiponectin may be an early marker of cardiovascular events.

Microinflammation factors in the common diseases of the heart and kidneys.

Aim: To determine levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in different cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) modalities and to compare findings to some already investigated direct and indirect parameters of inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Materials And Methods: Testing involved 114 examinees, divided into control and clinical groups suffering from different modalities and were formed according to the basis of a valid classification for CRS.

Results: C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher in all CRSs in comparison to the control group (P < 0.

The dichotomy of the Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor: RTK and GPCR: friend or foe for cancer treatment?

The prime position of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), at the head of the principle mitogenic and anti-apoptotic signalling cascades, along with the resilience to transformation of IGF-1R deficient cells fuelled great excitement for its anti-cancer targeting. Yet its potential has not been fulfilled, as clinical trial results fell far short of expectations. Advancements in understanding of other receptors' function have now begun to shed light on this incongruity, with the now apparent parallels highlighting the immaturity of our understanding of IGF-1R biology, with the model used for drug development now recognised as having been too simplistic.

[Level of job satisfaction among employees working at healthcare facilities in Nisava and Toplica district].

Introduction: The product of health system and its employees is health service whose quality is related to the satisfaction and motivation of people working in health system. The objective of this study was to assess and compare satisfaction with different aspects of work among different categories of employees in healthcare facilities on primary, secondary and tertiary level of health care in Nisava and Toplica districts.

Materials And Methods: The study was conducted as a one-day study in 15 healthcare facilities on primary level, in two public hospitals and 27 clinics of Clinical Centre of Nis, using anonymous questionnaire.

Analysis of mutant frequencies and mutation spectra in hMTH1 knockdown TK6 cells exposed to UV radiation.

Ultraviolet radiation is a highly mutagenic agent that damages the DNA by the formation of mutagenic photoproducts at dipyrimidine sites and by oxidative DNA damages via reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS can also give rise to mutations via oxidation of dNTPs in the nucleotide pool, e.g.

Frequency and characteristics of myocardial ischemia recorded during stress echocardiography in patients with high coronary risk.

Background/aim: Ischemic heart disease is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the world as well as in our country. Ischemic heart disease has the multifactorial origin and the presence of several risk factors increases the risk of myocardial ischemia. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency and characteristics of myocardial ischemia in asymptomatic subjects with two or more risk factors for coronary artery disease during stress echocardiography.

Impact of reversible myocardial ischaemia on nitric oxide and asymmetric dimethylarginine production in patients with high risk for coronary heart disease.

Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of reversible myocardial ischemia, provoked by acute physical activity during an exercise stress echocardiography (ESE), on nitric oxide (NOx) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) production in patients with high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD).

Material/methods: An overall of 45 patients (27 men, 18 women; mean age, 55.87+/-6.

[Prognostic significance of acute bundle branch block in patients with acute myocardial infarction].

Background/aim: Acute bundle branch block (ABBB) presence is associated with the increasing mortality of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The aim of this study was investigate ABBB influence with respect to in-hospital (IN) and long-term mortality in patients with AIM, as well as total mortality in follow-up, the presence of in-hospital congestive cardiac insufficiency (CCI) and the presence of CCI at follow-up.

Methods: This study included 606 consecutive patients with AMI.

[Prevalence and prognostic significance of silent myocardial ischemia in patients after myocardial infarction].

Background/aim: Silent myocardial ischemia (MI) can be detected in subjects with any symptoms, in patients after myocardial infarction and in coronary patients who have episodes of symptomatic, as well as of silent MI. This study was carried out to evaluate the frequency, characteristics and prognostic significance of silent MI detected in stress echocardiography test in patients after myocardial infarction.

Methods: In 210 patients within three months after myocardial infarction exercise test was performed.