Effect of vitamin A supplemented diet on calcium oxalate renal stone formation in rats

ObjectivesTo study the effect of a vitamin A supplemented diet on calcium-oxalate stone formation in rats and to test its expected action in the dissolution of renal calculi.Material and methodsTwenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups of eight rats each. The first group (group A) received a normal diet for six weeks. The second group (group B) was fed a lithogenic diet by the addition of ethylene glycol 0.5% to drinking water for three weeks then a normal diet for three weeks. The third group (group C) received the same lithogenic diet for three weeks then a vitamin A supplemented diet 20 times the normal amount (5.1 mg/100 g of diet) at the three last weeks. One day before the end of treatment, each animal was placed for 24 h in metabolic cage in order to collect urine samples and determine the urinary parameters.ResultsThe glomerular filtration rate and the urinary excretion of citric acid which fell in group B have been restored in group C.ConclusionsThis study shows that a vitamin A supplemented diet at the rate of 20 times standard ration could improve the renal function by restoring the glomerular filtration rate and by increasing the urinary pH and excretion of citric acid.     

Statistical Approach for Brain Cancer Classification Using a Region Growing Threshold

In brain cancer, a biopsy as an invasive procedure is needed in order to differentiate between malignant and benign brain tumor. However, in some cases, it is difficult or harmful to perform such a procedure, to the brain. The aim of this study is to investigate a new method in maximizing the probability of brain cancer type detection without actual biopsy procedure. The proposed method combines both image and statistical analysis for tumor type detection. It employed image filtration and segmentation of the target region of interest with MRI to assure an accurate statistical interpretation of the results. Statistical analysis was based on utilizing the mean, range, box plot, and testing of hypothesis techniques to reach acceptable and accurate results in differentiating between those two types. This method was performed, examined and compared on actual patients with brain tumors. The results showed that the proposed method was quite successful in distinguishing between malignant and benign brain tumor with 95% confident that the results are correct based on statistical testing of hypothesis.     

Contemporary Management of Pancreatic Cancer from an Internist Perspective

Primary care physicians are in a favorable position to curb the growing burden of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This review aims to provide an overview of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma from a primary care perspective, with a specific focus on risk factors, selection of high-risk individuals for screening, patient presentation at the primary-care clinic, and the role of the internist in supportive care. Overall, the internist is an essential member of the multidisciplinary care team with respect to optimizing patients’ quality of life across various stages of the pancreatic cancer.     

The direct and indirect impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care of patients with pituitary disease: a cross sectional study

Pituitary - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is widely believed to have had a major impact on the care of patients with pituitary disease. The virus itself may directly result in...     

Tumor expression of CD200 inhibits IL‐10 production by tumor‐associated myeloid cells and prevents tumor immune evasion of CTL therapy

CD200 is a cell‐surface glycoprotein that functions through interaction with the CD200 receptor on myeloid lineage cells to regulate myeloid cell functions. Expression of CD200 has been implicated in multiple types of human cancer; however, the impact of tumor expression of CD200 on tumor immunity remains poorly understood. To evaluate this issue, we generated CD200‐positive mouse plasmacytoma J558 and mastocytoma P815 cells. We found that established CD200‐positive tumors were often completely rejected by adoptively transferred CTL without tumor recurrence; in contrast, CD200‐negative tumors were initially rejected by adoptively transferred CTL but the majority of tumors recurred. Tumor expression of CD200 significantly inhibited suppressive activity and IL‐10 production by tumor‐associated myeloid cells (TAMC), and as a result, more CTL accumulated in the tumor and exhibited a greater capacity to produce IFN‐γ in CD200‐positive tumors than in CD200‐negative tumors. Neutralization of IL‐10 significantly inhibited the suppressor activity of TAMC, and IL‐10‐deficiency allowed TAMC to kill cancer cells and their antigenic variants, which prevented tumor recurrence during CTL therapy. Thus, tumor expression of CD200 prevents tumor recurrence via inhibiting IL‐10 production by TAMC.