The effect of risedronate on osteogenic lineage is mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 gene upregulation.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of risedronate (Ris) in the modulation of bone formation in rats with glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis by histomorphometric, immunohistochemical and gene expression analyses.

Methods: We analyzed structure, turnover and microarchitecture, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) levels and osteocyte apoptosis in 40 female rats divided as follows: 1) vehicle of methylprednisolone (vGC) + vehicle of risedronate (vRis); 2) Ris 5 μg/Kg + vGC; 3) methylprednisolone (GC) 7 mg/Kg + vRis; 4) GC 7 mg/Kg +Ris 5 μg/Kg. In addition, we evaluated cell proliferation and expression of COX-2 and bone alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP) genes in bone marrow cells and MLO-y4 osteocytes treated with Ris alone or in co-treatment with the selective COX-2 inhibitor NS-398 or with dexametasone.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels modulate the acute-phase response associated with the first nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate infusion.

The acute-phase response (APR) is the most frequent side effect after the first dose of intravenous nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (N-BPs). It has been demonstrated in vitro that N-BPs stimulate gammadelta T-cell proliferation and production of cytokines and that vitamin D is able to modulate them. Therefore, we have studied the relationship between bone metabolism parameters, particularly for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and APR in patients treated with 5 mg zoledronic acid intravenously.

Bike Transalp 2008: liquid intake and its effect on the body's fluid homeostasis in the course of a multistage, cross-country, MTB marathon race in the central Alps.

Objectives: To investigate the drinking behavior of the participants in a multi-day mountain bike (MTB) cross-country competition, to monitor its effect on the body's fluid compartments and body mass, and to evaluate the prevalence of exercise-associated dysnatremia.

Design: Descriptive field study.

Setting: The Jeantex Bike Transalp Competition 2008 (8 stages; 665.

Sleep disordered breathing is associated with appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy in congestive heart failure patients.

Background: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are increasingly employed in patients affected by congestive heart failure (CHF) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is frequent in this population.

Hypothesis: To investigate SDB prevalence and influence on appropriate ICD discharges in CHF patients.

Methods: A total of 22 consecutive ICD patients with systolic CHF (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]< 45%) were studied by polysomnography.

Circulating mesenchymal stem cells with abnormal osteogenic differentiation in patients with osteoporosis.

Objective: While the role of osteoclasts in bone loss has been well investigated, the involvement of osteoblast-lineage cells has not been completely elucidated. Several genes contribute to normal osteoblastic differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), but an understanding of their role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis is still lacking. The present study was undertaken to evaluate a possible alteration of osteogenic gene expression as a mechanism contributing to bone loss.

Physical disability and depressive symptomatology in an elderly population: a complex relationship. The Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA).

Objectives: Depressive symptoms (DS) are very frequent in elderly individuals and are associated with negative outcomes. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether DS predict physical disability in this population.

Methods: A prospective,community-based cohort study, this work included 5,632 individuals aged 65-84 years, who were recruited from the demographic registries of eight Italian municipalities in 1992.

Sleep apnoea syndrome is highly prevalent in acromegaly and only partially reversible after biochemical control of the disease.

Background: Whether sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) subsides after biochemical and clinical remission of acromegaly is controversial.

Objective: To assess the presence of SAS in a cohort of acromegalic patients, which included a subgroup with active disease and a subgroup in remission, and to evaluate clinical and biochemical independent predictors of SAS.

Design: Cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

Gene expression analysis in osteoblastic differentiation from peripheral blood mesenchymal stem cells.

MSCs are known to have an extensive proliferative potential and ability to differentiate in various cell types. Osteoblastic differentiation from mesenchymal progenitor cells is an important step of bone formation, though the pattern of gene expression during differentiation is not yet well understood. Here, to investigate the possibility to obtain a model for in vitro bone differentiation using mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) from human subjects non-invasively, we developed a method to obtain hMSCs-like cells from peripheral blood by a two step method that included an enrichment of mononuclear cells followed by depletion of unwanted cells.

Multidisciplinary approach including receptor radionuclide therapy with 90Y-DOTATOC ([90Y-DOTA0, Tyr3]-octreotide) and 177Lu-DOTATATE ([177Lu-DOTA0, Tyr3]-octreotate) in ectopic cushing syndrome from a metastatic gastrinoma: a promising proposal.

Objective: To present a case of a young woman with Cushing syndrome caused by ectopic production of adrenocorticotropic hormone from a metastatic pancreatic gastrin-secreting endocrine carcinoma, who had a good response to combination peptide receptor radionuclide therapy.

Methods: We review the history, physical examination, laboratory investigations, and radiographic findings in this unusual patient. Moreover, the multimodal interventions are described and discussed.

Bisphosphonates and osteomyelitis of the jaw: a pathogenic puzzle.

The maxillary and mandibular bones undergo high-turnover remodeling to maintain mechanical competence. Common dental or periodontal diseases can increase local bone turnover. Bisphosphonates (BPs) accumulate almost exclusively in skeletal sites that have active bone remodeling.

The effects on hTERT gene expression is an additional mechanism of amino-bisphosphonates in prostatic cancer cells.

Many studies have demonstrated various effects of bisphosphonates on several cancer cells and it is accepted that their anti-tumor activity is related to interference with the mevalonate pathway. In addition, it is well known that gene expression of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of the telomerase, is elevated in prostatic cancer. In the prostate cancer cell lines we investigated the effects on hTERT gene expression of several bisphosphonates.

Amino-bisphosphonates decrease hTERT gene expression in breast cancer in vitro.

Background And Aims: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is the catalytic subunit of telomerase. hTERT expression and telomerase activity are elevated in most human tumors. Bisphosphonates play an important role in the management of tumors with the secondary involvement of bone.

Effect of sulfhydryl and non-sulfhydryl angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on endothelial function in essential hypertensive patients.

Background: Oxidative inactivation of nitric oxide (NO) is regarded as an important cause of reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilation in essential hypertension. Because zofenopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with a sulfhydryl (SH) group, has demonstrated antioxidant properties and to reduce adhesion molecule expression in vitro, in this study we evaluated the effect of this drug in comparison with the carboxylic ACE inhibitor ramipril and the beta-adrenoreceptor blocker atenolol on (1) circulating adhesion molecules and some oxidative stress parameters and (2) endothelium-dependent vasodilation in essential mildly hypertensive patients.

Methods: A total of 45 healthy subjects and 45 matched hypertensive patients participated in the study.

Omeprazole reduces the response to capsaicin but not to methacholine in asthmatic patients with proximal reflux.

Objective: To study the relationships between airway responsiveness to methacholine and capsaicin, proximal or distal reflux and the effects of short-term acid inhibition.

Material And Methods: Twenty-nine asthmatics, not taking steroids regularly, underwent respiratory symptom measurements, 24-h dual-probe pH monitoring, and challenges with methacholine and capsaicin. Challenges and symptom measurements were repeated after 12 days' omeprazole treatment (20 mg b.

The effect of bisphosphonates on gene expression: GAPDH as a housekeeping or a new target gene?

Background: RT-PCR has been widely used for the analysis of gene expression in many systems, including tumor samples. GAPDH (Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) has been frequently considered as a constitutive housekeeping gene and used to normalize changes in specific gene expression. However, GAPDH has been shown to be up-regulated in many cancers and down-regulated by chemotherapic drugs.

Enhanced plasma levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein increase circulating nuclear factor-kappa B activation in patients with unstable angina.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of circulating levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) activation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with unstable angina (UA) or stable angina (SA) and control subjects.

Background: Nuclear factor-kB might be involved in atherosclerosis, as is suggested by the presence of activated NF-kB in human atherosclerotic lesions.

Methods: Levels of plasma ox-LDL and circulating NF-kB in PBMC (and in separated lymphocytes and monocytes) were measured in 27 control subjects and 29 SA and 27 UA patients.

Inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate acutely stimulates dose-dependent growth hormone secretion in healthy subjects.

Study Objectives: It is well known that systemic administration of corticosteroids has a dual effect on growth hormone (GH) secretion in man: acute systemic administration stimulates GH release, whereas chronic administration consistently blocks it. In this study, we evaluate whether administration of inhaled corticosteroids could acutely stimulate GH secretion, and whether this effect could be dose related.

Design: Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Plasma levels of oxidized-low-density lipoproteins are higher in patients with unstable angina and correlated with angiographic coronary complex plaques.

Objectives: To measure circulating levels of oxidized-low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) in patients with stable and unstable angina and controls, and to investigate their correlation with the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the presence of complex plaques at coronary angiography.

Methods And Results: Circulating ox-LDL were assessed, using ELISA, in patients with unstable angina (UA, n=26), stable angina (SA, n=29) and in controls (C, n=27). All patients underwent coronary angiography.

Nebivolol decreases oxidative stress in essential hypertensive patients and increases nitric oxide by reducing its oxidative inactivation.

Objective: To obtain further insight into the mechanism underlying the vasodilator effect of nebivolol. Since oxidative inactivation of nitric oxide (NO) is regarded as an important cause of its decreased biological activity, we studied (1) the effect of nebivolol on some oxidative parameters in essential hypertensive patients; (2) the effect of plasma of nebivolol-treated patients on reactive oxygen species production and NO availability in endothelial cells.

Methods: A total of 20 healthy subjects and 20 matched essential hypertensive patients treated with atenolol or nebivolol according to a double-blind, randomized design participated in the study.

Rhabdomyolysis after the administration of itraconazole to an asthmatic patient with bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.

It is known that the coadministration of itraconazole with cholesterol-lowering statins may induce muscle damage. We describe the case of a patient with steroid-dependent asthma, steroid-induced severe myopathy and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis who developed rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure following a approximately 6-week treatment with itraconazole, even without the concomitant use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Minimally supervised home rehabilitation improves exercise capacity and health status in patients with COPD.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on exercise tolerance and quality of life of an outpatient rehabilitation program implemented at home without a physiotherapist's direct supervision in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Design: Patients with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were studied. The rehabilitation program included lower limb exercise on a stationary bicycle and upper limb exercise and stretching, together with education, and it lasted for 12 wks.

Nebivolol and its 4-keto derivative increase nitric oxide in endothelial cells by reducing its oxidative inactivation.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to elucidate the vasodilator mechanisms of nebivolol, a high selective beta(1)-receptor antagonist with antioxidant properties.

Background: Oxidative inactivation of nitric oxide (NO) is regarded as an important cause of its decreased biological activity.

Methods: Oxidative stress was induced through the binding of oxidized (ox)-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to its specific endothelial receptor, called "lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1" (LOX-1), in bovine and human endothelial cells and in Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing bovine LOX-1 (BLOX-1-CHO cells).

Is the prevalence of adult asthma and allergic rhinitis still increasing? Results of an Italian study.

Background: The prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis has increased worldwide during the 1970s and 1980s.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating whether the increasing trend in prevalence persisted during the 1990s in the young adult Italian population.

Methods: In 1998 to 2000 a screening questionnaire was sent by mail to a general population sample aged 20 to 44 years; nonresponders were contacted again first by mail and then by phone, achieving a final response rate of 78.

The control of asthma in Italy. A multicentre descriptive study on young adults with doctor diagnosed current asthma.

Background: Few data are available on the management of asthma in the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of asthma control in Italian patients, a decade after the publication of the international guidelines.

Materials And Methods: Within the framework of a multicentre, population-based study on people aged 20-44 years, 18 873 subjects replied to a postal screening questionnaire (response rate = 72.

The platelet-endothelium interaction mediated by lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 reduces the intracellular concentration of nitric oxide in endothelial cells.

Objectives: To address the potential role of the endothelial lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) in the thrombotic system, in this study we first examined whether platelet interaction with LOX-1 generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide (O2.-) and then investigated the relationship between the intracellular production of O2.- and the availability of nitric oxide (NO).