Activity

Additionally, GLP-1RAs leads to lower postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) levels (WMD -25.73 mg/dl, 95%CI; -32.71, -18.75). We also found that GLP-1RAs intake has no significant effect on the waist-hip ratio (WHR) (WMD -0.01, 95%CI; -0.03, 0.02), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (WMD -2.12 mg/dl, 95%CI; -6.23, 1.96), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (WMD -0.08%, 95%CI; -0.21, 0.04), and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels (WMD -0.31, 95%CI; -0.69, 0.07). GLP-1RAs therapy showed a greater reduction in BMI, body weight, WC, and PPG, but not in WHR, HOMA-IR, FBG, and HbA1c compared with other therapies in patients with T2DM and NAFLD.Pancreatic cancer is a high degree malignant tumor which makes its diagnosis and treatment highly critical. The effect of conventional chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is quite poor due to the low accumulation of the chemotherapeutic drugs at the tumor site. Therefore, enhancing the targeting efficiency and accumulation of the drug carrier at tumor site with subsequent release of drug within the effective time period is one of the key factors for successful targeted chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer. Our previous studies have demonstrated that aptamer can be a valid targeting moiety to guide the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX) to accumulate at the tumor tissue. Herein, the present study aims to further investigate the targeting efficiency as well as therapeutic efficacy of the drug delivery system comprised of aptamer-modified polymeric nano drug carrier encapsulated with DOX (DOX@PCL-b-PEO-Aptamer micelles). The in vitro cytotoxicity studies and laser confocal microscopy indicated that DOX@PCL-b-PEO-Aptamer micelles exhibited enhanced targeting and cytotoxic efficacy towards human pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1 cells) as compared to free DOX and DOX-loaded PCL-b-PEO-NH2 micelles (DOX@PCL-b-PEO-NH2 micelles). Furthermore, the aptamer-decorated drug delivery system exhibited better tumor penetration into the three-dimensional (3D) spheroid of Panc-1 cells with successful release of DOX as compared to the drug delivery system without aptamer modification. D-(+)-Galactose Overall, this study suggests that the aptamer-modified polymeric micelles could be effectively employed for the targeted delivery of anticancer drug to treat pancreatic cancer in near future.During development, a single cell is transformed into a highly complex organism through progressive cell division, specification and rearrangement. An important prerequisite for the emergence of patterns within the developing organism is to establish asymmetries at various scales, ranging from individual cells to the entire embryo, eventually giving rise to the different body structures. This becomes especially apparent during gastrulation, when the earliest major lineage restriction events lead to the formation of the different germ layers. Traditionally, the unfolding of the developmental program from symmetry breaking to germ layer formation has been studied by dissecting the contributions of different signaling pathways and cellular rearrangements in the in vivo context of intact embryos. Recent efforts, using the intrinsic capacity of embryonic stem cells to self-assemble and generate embryo-like structures de novo, have opened new avenues for understanding the many ways by which an embryo can be built and the influence of extrinsic factors therein. Here, we discuss and compare divergent and conserved strategies leading to germ layer formation in embryos as compared to in vitro systems, their upstream molecular cascades and the role of extrinsic factors in this process.

Resection of lung cancer infiltrating the aortic arch and/or the subclavian artery can be accomplished in selected patient under CardioPulmonary Bypass (CPB). Direct cross-clamping of the aortic arch and the left subclavian artery without CPB for radical resection of the tumor can be an alternative. link2 Hereby, we present our experience with this technique.

Between October 2016 and May 2019, 9 patients (5 males, 4 females) underwent radical resection of lung cancer infiltrating the aortic arch (n=5) or the left subclavian artery (n=4) by direct cross-clamping technique. Seven left upper lobectomies, 1 left pneumonectomy and 1 left upper sleeve lobectomy were performed. Reconstruction of the aortic arch was performed by direct suturing or dacron patch, while the subclavian artery was reconstructed with a dacron conduit. Three patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Patients’ mean age was 64.7±13.3 years (range 36-78). Aortic arch resection was partial in all cases (adventitial in 1 and full-thickness in 4); left subclavian artery resection was adventitial in 2 patients and circumferential in 2. All the resections were complete. Prosthetic reconstruction was in 4 cases. link3 Mean operative time was 130±25.6 minutes; mean vascular clamping time was 28.2±3.2 minutes. No mortality occurred. Major complication rate was 11.1 %. At a mean follow-up of 17±9 months (range 5-29) recurrence rate was 33.3%. Median survival was 20 months.

Direct cross-clamping as an alternative to CPB for resection of lung cancer infiltrating the aortic arch or the subclavian artery is a feasible, safe and reliable procedure in selected patients.

Direct cross-clamping as an alternative to CPB for resection of lung cancer infiltrating the aortic arch or the subclavian artery is a feasible, safe and reliable procedure in selected patients.

Tumor response and lymph node involvement are the most important prognosticators in resected patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma after neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT). We hypothesise that lymph node response (LNR) is also a valuable prognosticator in these patients, potentially revealing the added effect of nCRT.

Hematoxylin-eosin slides of 193 esophageal adenocarcinoma patients with clinical suspicion of lymph node involvement (cN+) and treated with nCRT between 2008 and 2015 were assessed. Lymph nodes containing viable tumor cells were considered ypN+ and those negative for viable tumor were ypN0. LNR was also described according to an earlier defined method. Three groups were obtained ypN0/LNR-, ypN0/LNR+ and ypN+. They were compared to 188 cN+ patients being pN0 (n=45) or pN+ (n=143) after upfront esophageal resection.

44 patients were ypN0/LNR-, 55 ypN0/LNR+ and 94 ypN+. Median overall survival was respectively 96.4, 31.2 and 20.6 months and was significantly different between ypN0/LNR- and y to pN+ patients.We admitted a 76-year-old woman for treatment of an ascending aortic aneurysm with left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction and systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the mitral valve. Echocardiography showed an elevated velocity of the LVOT flow with a sigmoid septum. Mild mitral regurgitation was also detected due to SAM. We performed a graft replacement of the ascending aorta, following which the LVOT obstruction and SAM were resolved. This is the first reported case in which the traction of a graft likely released the compression on the aortic root and ventricular septum.

The value of neoadjuvant treatment in combination with resection as multimodality therapy (MMT) for Stage IIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial.

This is a national cohort study of clinical stage IIB NSCLC patients (2006-2015) using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Cohorts were defined based on the MMT sequence and were categorized as surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy (AC), surgery plus adjuvant chemoradiation (ACRT), neoadjuvant therapy plus surgery (NA), surgery-alone, and definitive chemotherapy or chemoradiation (non-surgical). The primary comparison was between NA and AC cohorts. Propensity matching methods were employed to match cohorts who received AC versus NA. Multivariable Cox regression was used to analyze the difference in risk of death between NA and AC.

There were 10,841 patients with Stage IIB lung cancer 2,476 AC, 854 ACRT, 1,195 NA, 2,019 surgery-alone, and 4,297 non-surgical. Of the 6,544 patients who received surgery, 37.8% received AC, 13.1% received ACRT, 18.3% received NA and 30.9% received surgery alone. Relative to those treated with AC, non-surgical treatment (HR 2.92; 95%CI 2.69-3.17) or surgery-alone (HR 1.26; 95%CI 1.14-1.38) were associated significantly higher risk of death. After propensity matching, there was no difference in risk of death between NA and AC (HR 1.07; 95%CI 0.88-1.31).

MMT, including surgical resection, is associated with improved OS, regardless of treatment sequence with no difference in survival based on a NA or AC approach. The potential benefits of NA over AC to ensure patients complete MMT warrants further prospective investigation.

MMT, including surgical resection, is associated with improved OS, regardless of treatment sequence with no difference in survival based on a NA or AC approach. The potential benefits of NA over AC to ensure patients complete MMT warrants further prospective investigation.The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is associated with several fatal cases worldwide. The rapid spread of this pathogen and the increasing number of cases highlight the urgent development of vaccines. Among the technologies available for vaccine development, DNA vaccination is a promising alternative to conventional vaccines. Since its discovery in the 1990s, it has been of great interest because of its ability to elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses while showing relevant advantages regarding producibility, stability, and storage. This review aimed to summarize the current knowledge and advancements on DNA vaccines against COVID-19, particularly those in clinical trials.

We investigated the therapeutic effects of losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, on prostatic hyperplasia in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).

Male SHRs (age, 36weeks) were perorally treated with losartan (3 or 10mg·kg

) or vehicle once daily for 18weeks. Age-matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKYs) were used as vehicle-treated controls (n=8). The effects of losartan were evaluated by analyzing prostate weight, blood pressure, and prostatic blood flow. The tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels were measured. Histological analysis for the ventral prostate involved hematoxylin and eosin staining and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay.

Compared to the vehicle-treated WKYs, the vehicle-treated SHRs had significantly higher prostate weight, prostate weight/body weight ratio (PBR), blood pressure, glandular epithelial area, and tissue MDA, IL-6, and bFGF levels in the ventral prostate and lower prostatic blood flow. Treatment with losartan caused significant recovery of blood flow and decreased PBR and glandular epithelial area as well as tissue MDA, IL-6, and bFGF levels in the SHR ventral prostate without affecting blood pressure. High-dose losartan significantly decreased blood pressure and increased TUNEL-positive cells in the ventral prostate in SHRs.

Chronic losartan treatment could ameliorate prostatic hyperplasia via recovery of reduced prostatic blood flow and induction of apoptosis in the ventral prostate in SHRs. Losartan might have therapeutic effects on not only hypertension but also prostatic hyperplasia in humans.

Chronic losartan treatment could ameliorate prostatic hyperplasia via recovery of reduced prostatic blood flow and induction of apoptosis in the ventral prostate in SHRs. Losartan might have therapeutic effects on not only hypertension but also prostatic hyperplasia in humans.