Proportion and predictors of Hypogonadism Recovery in Men with Macroprolactinomas treated with dopamine agonists

Pituitary - Hypogonadism is the most common form of hypopituitarism in men with macroprolactinoma. However, evidence on factors related to hypogonadism recovery is limited. We estimated the...     

The Association of Diurnal Blood Glucose Variability With Subclinical Cardiac Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BackgroundThe relationship between glycemic control and the risk of cardiac disease in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is controversial. 1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is a biomarker of Glucose Variability (GV) and has been associated with clinical cardiovascular disease. However, its association with Subclinical Cardiac Disease (SCD) is unknown.Aim of the workStudy the association between GV and SCD.Subjects and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 46 asymptomatic patients with T2DM as T2DM individuals group. Another 46 non-diabetic age and sex matched subjects were included as the healthy group. 1,5-AG was measured for all subjects. M-mode echocardiography in parasternal long axis view was used to measure Left Ventricular (LV) end diastolic dimension, LV end systolic dimension, ejection fraction, interventricular septum, LV posterior wall thickness, LV fractional shortening, left atrial dimension and aortic root dimension. Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) was assessed by speckled tracking echocardiography.ResultsThere were no significant differences between both groups as regarding age, sex, BMI, AST, ALT, and serum creatinine. 1,5-AG was lower in T2DM individuals group. As regarding the echo parameters no significant difference found between both groups regarding left ventricular, left atrial and aortic root dimensions. T2DM individuals group showed a statistically significant higher mitral valve area, apical 2 chambers, apical 4 chambers, apical longitudinal axis and GLS. No correlation found between HbA1c and any echo parameters while 1,5-AG showed a significantly negative correlation with apical 2 chambers, apical 4 chambers, apical longitudinal axis and GLS. ROC curve analysis detected 1,5-AG less than 7.51 ng/ml as the best cut off value with sensitivity of 85.7%, specificity 75% to diagnose patients with T2DM and SCD.Conclusion1,5-AG might be used as an additional surrogate marker to identify patients with T2DM and SCD.     

Improved Delivery Through Biological Membranes. LVI. Pharmacological Evaluation of Alprenoxime—A New Potential Antiglaucoma Agent

A new site-specific chemical delivery system (CDS) for alprenolol was designed and investigated as a potential novel antiglaucoma agent. The effect of this compound, alprenoxime (AO), on the intraocular pressure (IOP) of rabbits was evaluated after its uni- and bilateral administration. AO produced significant reduction of the IOP starting at 30 min and lasting for more than 6 hr after its topical administration. Both in rats and in rabbits the i.v. bolus injection of AO (6 mg/kg) led to insignificant transient bradycardia, while no activity was found after oral or topical administration. Alprenolol (ALP) in a similar dose produced a sustained and significant bradycardia for more than 30 min. When the beta-adrenergic blocking activity was assessed against isoprenaline-tachycardia, the same results were obtained, i.e., AO led to a transient brief activity, whereas ALP produced a significant long-lasting beta blockade. These results support the potent ocular hypotensive action and the weak systemic beta-adrenergic blocking and cardiovascular activity of AO: a significant improvement in the therapeutic index. This finding recommends alprenoxime as a potent site-specific antiglaucoma agent with minimal systemic side effects.     

APASL consensus statements and recommendations for hepatitis C prevention,epidemiology, and laboratory testing

The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) convened an international working party on “APASL consensus statements and recommendations for management of hepatitis C” in March 2015 to revise the “APASL consensus statements and management algorithms for hepatitis C virus infection” (Hepatol Int 6:409–435, 2012). The working party consisted of expert hepatologists from the Asian–Pacific region gathered at the Istanbul Congress Center, Istanbul, Turkey on 13 March 2015. New data were presented, discussed, and debated during the course of drafting a revision. Participants of the consensus meeting assessed the quality of the cited studies. The finalized recommendations for hepatitis C prevention, epidemiology, and laboratory testing are presented in this review.     

Effects of Roselle and Ginger on cisplatin-induced reproductive toxicity in rats

Aim:To evaluate the protective effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa(Roselle)and Zingiber officinale(Ginger)againstcisplatin-induced reproductive toxicity in rats and to study the mechanisms underlying these effects.Methods:Ethanol extracts of H.sabdariffa or Z.o fficinale[1g/(kg.day)]were given p.o.to male albino rats for 26 days,which began 21 days before a single cisplatin i.p.injection(10 mg/kg body weight).Results:Extracts of H.sabdariffaand Z.officinale reduced the extent of cisplatin-induced sperm abnormality and enhanced sperm motility.Bothextracts restored the control level of malondialdehyde(MDA)(lipid peroxidation marker)in the cisplatin-treated testis.The cisplatin injection induced decline in the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD),reduced glutathione(GSH)andcatalase(CAT)were significantly reversed to control levels in groups where cisplatin was preceded by the administra-tion of either H.sabdariffa or Z.officinale.Conclusion:Both H.sabdariffa and Z.officinale treatment increasedthe activities of testicular antioxidant enzymes and restored sperm motility of cisplatin-treated rats.The protectiveeffects of tested plants are,therefore,suggested to be mediated by their potent antioxidant activities.(Asian J Androl2006 Sep;8:607-612)     

Saffron: a potential candidate for a novel anticancer drug against hepatocellular carcinoma

Saffron has been proposed as a promising candidate for cancer chemoprevention. The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the chemopreventive action and the possible mechanisms of saffron against diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer in rats. Administration of saffron at doses of 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg/day was started 2 weeks prior to the DEN injection and was continued for 22 weeks. Saffron significantly reduced the DEN-induced increase in the number and the incidence of hepatic dyschromatic nodules. Saffron also decreased the number and the area of placental glutathione S-transferase-positive foci in livers of DEN-treated rats. Furthermore, saffron counteracted DEN-induced oxidative stress in rats as assessed by restoration of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase levels and diminishing of myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl formation in liver. The results of immunohistochemical staining of rat liver showed that saffron inhibited the DEN-mediated elevations in numbers of cells positive for Ki-67, cyclooxygenase 2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor-kappa B p-65, and phosphorylated tumor necrosis factor receptor. Saffron also blocked the depletion in the number of cells positive for TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling) and M30 CytoDeath in liver tissues of DEN-treated rats. In vitro experiments carried out using HepG2 cells also confirmed these findings and showed inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B activation, increased cleavage of caspase-3, as well as DNA damage and cell cycle arrest upon saffron treatment. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that saffron exerts a significant chemopreventive effect against liver cancer through inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. This report also shows some evidence that saffron protects rat liver from cancer via modulating oxidative damage and suppressing inflammatory response.     

The Effect of Dihydronicotinate N-Substitution on the Brain-Targeting Efficacy of a Zidovudine Chemical Delivery System

Enhanced brain delivery of zidovudine (AZT) has been demonstrated using a redox-based chemical delivery system (CDS). Optimization of the prototype AZT-CDS (5-[(1-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridin-3-yl)carbonyl]-3-azido-3-deoxythymidine) was investigated by manipulation of the N-methyl group present on the dihydronicotinate portion of the molecule and examining the release of AZT in vivo in a rat model. Of the five compounds examined, all produced higher brain levels and lower blood levels of AZT than did AZT itself. In comparing the novel AZT-CDS analogues to the N-methyl benchmark, the N-propyl system proved to be the most efficient of the compounds tested.