THE EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS ON FEMALE GONADAL AXIS: AN UPDATE.

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are considered to have an impact on the function of reproductive axis at different levels as well on reproductive organs in both sexes. Complexity of female reproductive system influenced with various stressors including EDs lead to morphological and functional alterations. This is resulting in modulation of neuroendocrine regulation with consequent developmental irregularities and derangements, causative infertility, endometriosis as well as premature ovarian insufficiency or polycystic ovary syndrome.

Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer Cells Survival and Their Therapeutic Targeting.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is today the second most common cancer in the world, with almost 400,000 deaths annually. Multiple factors are involved in the etiology of PCa, such as older age, genetic mutations, ethnicity, diet, or inflammation. Modern treatment of PCa involves radical surgical treatment or radiation therapy in the stages when the tumor is limited to the prostate.

Laparoscopic approach in the treatment of splenic angiolipomatous hamartoma: the first report of a case.

Angiolipomatous hamartoma is a benign mesenchymal proliferation of unknown aetiology. Only a few cases have been documented in the published literature. This current case report describes a 57-year-old female patient who was hospitalized for an assessment of a previously radiologically-verified splenic lesion and further treatment.

The Effects of a Meldonium Pre-Treatment on the Course of the LPS-Induced Sepsis in Rats.

A dysregulated and overwhelming response to an infection accompanied by the exaggerated pro-inflammatory state and metabolism disturbance leads to the fatal outcome in sepsis. Previously we showed that meldonium, an anti-ischemic drug clinically used to treat myocardial and cerebral ischemia, strongly increases mortality in faecal-induced peritonitis (FIP) in rats. We postulated that the same mechanism that is responsible for the otherwise strong anti-inflammatory effects of meldonium could be the culprit of the increased mortality.

A Lower Level of Post-Vaccinal Antibody Titer against Influenza Virus A H1N1 May Protect Patients with Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases from Respiratory Viral Infections.

The concentration of antibodies against virus influenza A H1N1 in the titer (≥1:32) positively correlates with resistance to flu in healthy persons. In elderly and immune-compromised patients, an influenza vaccine may be less immunogenic. : A lower post-vaccinal antibody titer (≥1:16) may be sero-protective against respiratory viral infections in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

The Effects of a Meldonium Pre-Treatment on the Course of the Faecal-Induced Sepsis in Rats.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by the dysregulated and overwhelming response to infection, accompanied by an exaggerated pro-inflammatory state and lipid metabolism disturbance leading to sequential organ failure. Meldonium is an anti-ischemic and anti-inflammatory agent which negatively interferes with lipid metabolism by shifting energy production from fatty acid oxidation to glycolysis, as a less oxygen-demanding pathway. Thus, we investigated the effects of a four-week meldonium pre-treatment on faecal-induced sepsis in Sprague-Dawley male rats.

Effects of C60 Fullerene on Thioacetamide-Induced Rat Liver Toxicity and Gut Microbiome Changes.

Thioacetamide (TAA) is widely used to study liver toxicity accompanied by oxidative stress, inflammation, cell necrosis, fibrosis, cholestasis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. As an efficient free radical's scavenger, C60 fullerene is considered a potential liver-protective agent in chemically-induced liver injury. In the present work, we examined the hepatoprotective effects of two C60 doses dissolved in virgin olive oil against TAA-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Lipids and Antiplatelet Therapy: Important Considerations and Future Perspectives.

Lipids play an essential role in platelet functions. It is known that polyunsaturated fatty acids play a role in increasing platelet reactivity and that the prothrombotic phenotype plays a crucial role in the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events. The ongoing increase in cardiovascular diseases' incidence emphasizes the importance of research linking lipids and platelet function.

Lipidomics Provides New Insight into Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Targets of the Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Lipids play an essential role in both tissue protection and damage. Tissue ischemia creates anaerobic conditions in which enzyme inactivation occurs, and reperfusion can initiate oxidative stress that leads to harmful changes in membrane lipids, the formation of aldehydes, and chain damage until cell death. The critical event in such a series of harmful events in the cell is the unwanted accumulation of fatty acids that leads to lipotoxicity.

The effects of meldonium on the acute ischemia/reperfusion liver injury in rats.

Acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) liver injury is a clinical condition challenging to treat. Meldonium is an anti-ischemic agent that shifts energy production from fatty acid oxidation to less oxygen-consuming glycolysis. Thus, we investigated the effects of a 4-week meldonium pre-treatment (300 mg/kg b.

Liver anatomy, intrahepatic vascular and biliary branching system of the mole rat (Spalax leucodon).

Background: There are many studies on the morphology of the liver and its blood vessels in experimental animals, but such studies are lacking in the mole rat (Spalax leucodon). The aim of this paper was a detailed basic study on the topography, morphology, vascular and biliary branching systems of the liver in the mole rat.

Materials And Methods: Coloured gelatine and mixture of coloured lead oxide and linseed oil were injection contrast masses used to obtain vascular and biliary branching pattern in the liver.

Effects of fullerene C supplementation on gut microbiota and glucose and lipid homeostasis in rats.

The effects of twelve weeks of supplementation with fullerene C olive/coconut oil solution on a broad spectrum of parameters in rats were examined. The tissue bioaccumulation of C was shown to be tissue-specific, with the liver, heart, and adrenal glands being the organs of the greatest, and the kidney, brain, and spleen being the organs of the smallest accumulation. C did not change aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase serum activities level, nor the damage of liver cells DNA.

Double trouble: myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries as a presentation of Hughes syndrome in monozygotic twins.

Myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a recently described, clinically significant entity, with prevalence rates ranging from 1% to 14% and a mean of 6% of all patients with myocardial infarction. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS; Hughes syndrome) is characterized by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies associated with thrombosis (arterial and/or venous) and/or pregnancy morbidity and could be the cause of MINOCA. Data on genetic predisposition to APS are scarce.

The Effects of Meldonium on the Renal Acute Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Acute renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a clinical condition that is challenging to treat. Meldonium is an anti-ischemic agent that shifts energy production from fatty acid oxidation to less oxygen-consuming glycolysis. Thus, in this study we investigated the effects of a four-week meldonium pre-treatment (300 mg/kg b.

Changes Due to Ageing in the Glycan Structure of Alpha-2-Macroglobulin and Its Reactivity with Ligands.

Alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2M) is a molecule generally associated with inflammation, and chronic inflammation is associated with ageing and cancer. The degree of inflammation was recently proposed to be considered as a biomarker of biological ageing. In this study, glycans attached to α2M were analysed in a human population of different ages by lectin-based protein microarray.

Coronary Microcirculation in Heart Failure with Preserved Systolic Function.

Background: The Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) is defined as the preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with the signs of heart failure, elevated natriuretic peptides, and either the evidence of the structural heart disease or diastolic dysfunction. The importance of this form of heart failure was increased after studies where the mortality rates and readmission to the hospital were founded similar as in patients with HF and reduced EF (HFrEF). Coronary microvascular ischemia, cardiomyocyte injury and stiffness could be important factors in the pathophysiology of HFpEF.

Regulation of Insulin and Insulin-Like Activity in Malnourished Patients with Carcinoma Ventriculi Subjected to Total Gastrectomy and Personalized Nutritional Support.

Background: Insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) activities are disturbed during critical illness. Time-course changes in the concentrations of insulin, IGF-I and IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) were monitored in this study and their correlation with interleukin (IL)-6 was assessed in patients subjected to total gastrectomy and specific nutritional regime.

Methods: Patients were fed post-operatively according to the following scheme: parenteral nutrition on day 1, enteral nutrition combined with parenteral form from day 2 to 7, peroral nutrition from day 8 and full oral nutrition from day 14.

Physical Activity Program Is Helpful for Improving Quality of Life in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Given the crucial events in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) such as joint and muscle pain, fatigue, depression, obesity and osteoporosis, the very thought of exercising can be challenging. This prospective study included 60 patients diagnosed with SLE in stable condition. A randomly selected group of 30 women had aerobic training on a bicycle ergometer for a period of 15 minutes, 3 times per week for 6 weeks, while the second group of 30 women performed isotonic exercises (to stretch and lengthen muscles and improve the range of motion) for 30 minutes, 3 times per week during the same period.

IGFBP-3/transferrin/transferrin receptor 1 complexes as principal mediators of IGFBP-3 delivery to colon cells in non-cancer and cancer tissues.

Purpose: The aim of this work was to study the involvement of IGFBP-3/Tf complexes in the pathology of colorectal carcinoma (CRC), quantify them, investigate their relation to iron concentration and binding to transferrin receptor (TfR) in colon tissue (non-cancer and cancer), and to assess the priority of this pathway for internalization of IGFBP-3.

Methods: The presence of IGFBP-3/Tf complexes was analyzed in sera from healthy persons and patients with CRC, and in colon tissue by immunoblotting. Complexes were immunoprecipitated, quantified by immunoassay and structurally characterized by immunoblotting, lectin blotting and mass spectrometry.

Complexes between insulin-like growth factor binding proteins and alpha-2-macroglobulin in patients with tumor.

The intention of this work was to systematically study the presence of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 and 2 (IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2) complexes with alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2M) in the circulation of patients with various types of cancer. Serum samples were collected from patients diagnosed with cancer and divided into eight groups according to the tumor type: liver, pancreas, colon, lung, prostate, breast, cervix and ovary. Results obtained for each cancer group were compared with results obtained for the age and gender-matched controls.

Molecular forms of the insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-2 in patients with colorectal cancer.

The components of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system and molecules with which they interact are associated with the neoplastic transformation of cells in colorectal cancer. The IGF-binding protein-2 (IGFBP-2) plays a significant role in mitotic stimulation of the cancer cells and its concentration is significantly elevated in tumor states. Little is known about IGFBP-2 at the molecular level and the purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between IGFBP-2 and some other proteins, the fragmentation pattern and posttranslational modifications that might have occurred due to a disease.

Lesion of the femoral nerve caused by a hydatid cyst of the right psoas muscle.

Introduction: Hydatidosis is a human disease caused by the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus. All organs in the human body may be affected by hydatid disease, but excluding liver and lungs, all other organs are considered as uncommon locations. Hydatid disease located in the psoas muscle is uncommon.

Allogeneic blood transfusion in patients in Dukes B stage of colorectal cancer.

The aim of this study is to evaluate influence of allogeneic blood transfusion on prognosis in patients in Dukes B stage of colorectal cancer. All patients with colorectal cancer who were admitted at our Department of Surgery between January 2000 and December 2004 were analyzed. One hundred fifty-one patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria were enrolled in further evaluation.

Autonomic dysfunction in alcoholic cirrhosis and its relation to sudden cardiac death risk predictors.

Patients with liver cirrhosis have autonomic dysfunction and complex cardiovascular changes. Increases risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD) was recently recognized in liver cirrhosis. This study analyzed risk predictors for SCD related to autonomic dysfunction in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC).

Combined spinal-epidural analgesia vs. intermittent bolus epidural analgesia for pain relief after major abdominal surgery. A prospective, randomised, double-blind clinical trial.

Background: The primary aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of combined spinal-epidural (CSE) analgesia vs. intermittent bolus epidural analgesia (EA) for pain relief after major abdominal surgery. The secondary aim was to assess the effects of fentanyl addition to subarachnoid morphine and bupivacaine.