Association between vascular endothelial growth factor and hypertension in children and adolescents type I diabetes mellitus

The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between the serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the incidence of hypertension (HT) in children and adolescents with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM). One hundred and five patients with T1DM were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 30 healthy controls. All the T1DM patients were subjected to biochemical analyses, ophthalmologic examination and 24-h blood pressure monitoring. Besides, all the patients and healthy controls had serum VEGF levels measured with the use of the ELISA methodology. The essence of our research is that patients with T1DM and HT and with microalbuminuria (MA) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) (MA/DR) are characterized by a significantly higher level of VEGF (340.23±93.22 pg ml–1) in blood serum in comparison with the group of T1DM patients without HT and MA/DR (183.6±96.6 pg ml–1) and with healthy controls (145.32±75.58 pg ml–1). In addition, the VEGF level was significantly higher in T1DM patients, who presented all three complications, that is HT, retinopathy and MA in comparison with T1DM patients without HT, but with MA/DR (P=0.036). On the other hand, no statistically significant differences (P=0.19) were noted in the level of VEGF in serum between T1DM patients without HT and MA/DR and the healthy control group. At a further stage of analysis, using the method of multiple regression, it was shown that systolic pressure, HbA1c and duration of disease are independent factors influencing the concentration of VEGF. Summarizing, the measurement of VEGF serum levels allows for the identification of groups of patients who have the highest risk of HT and, subsequently, progression of vascular complications

Inhibition of MYC translation through targeting of the newly identified PHB-eIF4F complex as therapeutic strategy in CLL

Dysregulation of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation, including preferential translation of mRNA with complex 5′ untranslated regions such as the MYC oncogene, is recognized as an important mechanism in cancer. Here, we show that both human and murine chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells display a high translation rate, which is inhibited by the synthetic flavagline FL3, a prohibitin (PHB)-binding drug. A multiomics analysis performed in samples from patients with CLL and cell lines treated with FL3 revealed the decreased translation of the MYC oncogene and of proteins involved in cell cycle and metabolism. Furthermore, inhibiting translation induced a proliferation arrest and a rewiring of MYC-driven metabolism. Interestingly, contrary to other models, the RAS-RAF-(PHBs)-MAPK pathway is neither impaired by FL3 nor implicated in translation regulation in CLL cells. Here, we rather show that PHBs are directly associated with the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF)4F translation complex and are targeted by FL3. Knockdown of PHBs resembled FL3 treatment. Importantly, inhibition of translation controlled CLL development in vivo, either alone or combined with immunotherapy. Finally, high expression of translation initiation–related genes and PHBs genes correlated with poor survival and unfavorable clinical parameters in patients with CLL. Overall, we demonstrated that translation inhibition is a valuable strategy to control CLL development by blocking the translation of several oncogenic pathways including MYC. We also unraveled a new and direct role of PHBs in translation initiation, thus creating new therapeutic opportunities for patients with CLL

Abdominal aortic aneurysm in the elderly

Over a 20-year period, 35 consecutive patients, 78 years of age and older, underwent resection of an abdominal aneurysm. Operation was performed electively in 8 and urgently in 10 patients with intact aneurysms and in 17 patients with ruptured aneurysms. The overall mortality was 46%. The mortality for operation on intact aneurysms was 12.5% for elective resections and 20% for emergency resections. For those with ruptured aneurysms the mortality was 76.4%. The mean survival for the 19 patients who survived operation was 48.6 months. Previous cardiac disease, rupture of the aneurysm and severe blood loss increased the mortality. Age in itself is not a deterrent to resection of an abdominal aneurysm and survival after operation, as determined by life-table analysis, compares favorably with that of the general population

Effect of restricted suckling on physiological and behavioural stress parameters in dual-purpose cattle in the tropics

The present study evaluated the effect of restricted suckling (RS) on some physiological and behavioural stress measures compared to artificial rearing (AR). Thirty Holstein X Zebu cows and their calves were randomly assigned to one of two treatments. Cows were milked once daily. All calves were tethered in front of their dams during milking permitting physical contact between them in order to stimulate milk ejection, starting at 5 days of age. Calves in the RS treatment were allowed to suckle during 60 min daily, 30 min after milking and 30 min in the afternoon, while calves in the AR treatment were fed milk from teat bottles at the same times. Data were collected from day 4 to day 9, while treatments started on day 5. Heart and respiratory rates, body weight and temperature were measured (in that order) 15 min before entry into the milking parlour. Blood samples and pedometer readings were collected about 50 min later, immediately on return to their home pens. Higher heart rate in calves was found in the RS group than in the AR group. However, cortisol concentration was higher (P 0.05) was found in body temperature, heart and respiratory rates in RS and AR treatments. It was concluded that suckling and nursing reduces some stress parameters in calves and cows in the AR treatment. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A new method for load matching in multimode microwave feating applicators based on the use of dielectric layer superposition

Usage of a dielectric multilayer around a dielectric Sample is studied as a means for improving the efficiency in multimode microwave- heating cavities. The results show that by using additional dielectric constant layers the appearance of undesired reflections at the sample-air interface is avoided and higher power -absorption rates within the sample and high -efficiency designs are obtaine