Search results for " Biochemistry"
showing 10 items of 5648 documents
Role of magnesium in insulin action, diabetes and cardio-metabolic syndrome X
2003
Magnesium (Mg) is one of the most abundant ions present in living cells and its plasma concentration is remarkably constant in healthy subjects. Plasma and intracellular Mg concentrations are tightly regulated by several factors. Among them, insulin seems to be one of the most important. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that insulin may modulate the shift of Mg from extracellular to intracellular space. Intracellular Mg concentration has also been shown to be effective in modulating insulin action (mainly oxidative glucose metabolism), offset calcium-related excitation-contraction coupling, and decrease smooth cell responsiveness to depolarizing stimuli. A poor intracellular M…
Improved femoral neck BMD in older Finnish women between 2002 and 2010.
2013
Abstract Purpose The number of hip fractures among Finns over 50-years of age rose constantly between 1970 and 1997, but since then, there has been a nationwide decline in incidence of hip fractures. One possible explanation, although not the only one, for the declining fracture rates, could be improved bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in femoral neck BMD between older Finnish women born about a decade apart. Methods We compared the baseline data of two population-based samples of home-dwelling 70–80-year-old women who were initially recruited in exercise intervention studies ( N = 216 in Cohort1, and N = 389 in Cohort 2). Femoral neck BMD was …
Managing Persistent Hypoxemia: what is new?
2017
Mechanical ventilation is the standard life-support technique for patients with severe acute respiratory failure. However, some patients develop persistent and refractory hypoxemia because their lungs are so severely damaged that they are unable to respond to the application of high inspired oxygen concentration and high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure. In this article, we review current knowledge on managing persistent hypoxemia in patients with injured lungs.
Thrombolytic therapy for submassive pulmonary embolism.
2012
Approximately 10% of all patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) die within the first three months after diagnosis. However, PE is not universally life-threatening, but covers a wide spectrum of clinical severity and death risk. Thrombolytic treatment is indicated patients with acute massive PE who are at high risk for early death, i.e. those patients who present with arterial hypotension and shock. On the other hand, low molecular-weight heparin or fondaparinux is adequate treatment for most normotensive patients with PE. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator, given as 100 mg infusion over 2 h, is the treatment of choice for patients with PE, although older regimens using urokinase …
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Derived Biomarkers of IDH Mutation Status and Overall Survival in Grade III Astrocytomas
2020
The evaluation of the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status in the glioma decision-making process has diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) can noninvasively predict the most common IDH mutational status (R132H) in GIII-astrocytomas and the overall survival (OS). Hence, twenty-two patients (9-F, 13-M) with a histological diagnosis of GIII-astrocytoma and evaluation of IDH-mutation status (12-wild type, 10-mutant) were retrospectively evaluated. Imaging studies were reviewed for the morphological feature and mean ADC values (ADCm). Stati…
Immunologic microenvironment and personalized treatment in multiple myeloma.
2013
Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by generalized immune suppression and increased susceptibility to infections and secondary malignancies. Malignant plasma cells (PCs) modulate the bone marrow microenvironment to favor their own survival and proliferation. These events lead to a severe deregulation of immune effectors. Extensive studies have been conducted to unveil the mechanisms through which MM cells negatively modulate immunity and to develop therapeutical approaches for restoring an efficient anti-MM immune response. Areas covered: This review article covers both the immunosuppressive effects exerted by MM and the immunomodulatory potential of novel anti-MM agents. A…
Stability of Cannabinoids in Hair Samples Exposed to Sunlight
2000
It has been well recognized that hashish and marihuana lose potency during storage because of a decrease in the content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major psychoactive constituent of cannabis (1). The effect of oxygen on stored plant and resin materials or solutions of pure cannabinoids seems much less significant than that of higher temperatures (≥37 °C) or light (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). A few data are available on the stability of THC and major metabolites in blood (8)(9)(10)(11). However, the stability of cannabinoids in the hair shaft has not been addressed, although scalp hair represents one of the most exposed parts of the body. Therefore, a study was performed to elucidate …
Monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of non-haematological tumours: update of an expanding scenario.
2015
Abstract: Introduction: The identification of cell membrane-bound molecules with a relevant role in cancer cell survival prompted the development of moAbs to block the related pathways. In the last few years, the number of approved moAbs for cancer treatment has constantly increased. Many of these drugs significantly improved the survival outcomes in patients with solid tumours. Areas covered: In this review, all the FDA-approved moAbs in solid tumours have been described. This is an update of moAbs available for cancer treatment nowadays in comparison with the moAbs approved until few years ago. The moAbs under development are also discussed here. Expert opinion: The research on cancer ant…
Enantioselective determination of plasma protein binding of common amphetamine-type stimulants.
2021
Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) like amphetamine ('speed'), methamphetamine ('crystal meth') and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') represent some of the most frequently abused drugs worldwide. Another less frequently abused ATS is 4-fluoroamphetamine (4-FA). The enantiomers of these four compounds exhibit different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. According to the free drug theory, the pharmacological properties of a substance are dependent on its plasma protein binding (PPB). However, data on PPB of stimulant enantiomers in humans are rare or non-existent. Human plasma samples were spiked with racemic mixtures of the stimulants and subjected to ultra…
Optimized culture conditions for tissue explants of uterine leiomyoma
2012
Background Uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign tumours in women, which arise from smooth muscle cells of the uterine myometrium and usually are multicentric. In spite of their frequency pathogenesis is widely unknown, mainly due to the absence of a suitable model system. We describe the systematic optimization of culturing leiomyoma tissue explants in an economical and effective ex vivo system. Methods Different concentrations of oxygen, different media, sera, hormones, and growth factor supplements were tested. Immunohistochemical stainings with antibodies against hormone receptors as well as specifying proliferation and apoptotic indices and real-time PCR were performed. Results…