Efficacy and safety of Parecoxib for prevention of catheter-related bladder discomfort in patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor: Prospective randomised trial

Background and Aims: Catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) is the urge to void or discomfort in the suprapubic region secondary to an indwelling urinary catheter. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of single-dose of intravenous parecoxib in reducing the incidence and severity of CRBD in patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Methods: Sixty-one adult patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II, undergoing elective TURBT under spinal anaesthesia, were randomly allocated to receive 40 mg of IV parecoxib (group P; n = 29) or an equal volume of normal saline (control group C; n = 32). CRBD was graded as none, mild, moderate, and severe. Between-group comparisons were made for the incidence and severity of CRBD, postoperative Visual analog scales (VAS), rescue analgesia equirements, and occurrence of adverse events. Statistical analysis done with the Mann–Whitney U-test and Fisher's Exact Test. A P value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Parecoxib significantly reduced the incidence and severity of CRBD at 2, 4, 6, and 12 hours postoperatively compared to placebo (P < 0.05). Median pain VAS scores were lower in the P group at all times except the first hour. Rescue analgesia was given to more patients in group C (16/32, 50%) than in group P (1/29) (P < 0.001). None of the patients who received parecoxib experienced an adverse event. Conclusion: A single intravenous injection of parecoxib is safe and effective in decreasing the incidence and severity of CRBD in patients undergoing TURBT. Trial Registration Identifier: NCT02729935(www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Ontology-Based Approach for Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

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Highly Selective Polypyrrole MIP-Based Gravimetric and Electrochemical Sensors for Picomolar Detection of Glyphosate

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Expression, purification and functionality of bioactive recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF(165) in E-coli

International audienceVascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is associated with tumour growth and metastasis. Because VEGF is the major player in both angiogenesis and vascular permeability and the most explored factor in angio-inhibitory therapies, many expression procedures have been developed to produce functional VEGF(165) in convenient yield. In this study, recombinant human VEGF(165) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli (BL21)-DE3 cells and large scale production was performed by fermentation. A high yield of active soluble protein was obtained after protein extraction employing both lysozyme and sonication treatment. Inclusion bodies were also isolated from the cell lysate and subjected to a simple protocol of solubilisation and refolding. Single-step purification was performed using nickel affinity chromatography and the purified proteins were able to recognize monoclonal Anti-poly-His antibody. The biological activity of the VEGF(165) was successfully tested using the Chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay, wound-healing migration and proliferation assay on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC)

Design of Novel Electrochemical Sensors for the Selective Detection of Glyphosate

International audienceThis study concerns the development of two molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) based electrochemical sensors for glyphosate detection. In both cases polypyrrole (PPy) was chosen as matrix and glyphosate molecules were the templates. The main difference between the two strategies is related to the investigated electrode: gold surface in the first case, and ZnO nanorods vertically grown on ITO diazonium modified substrates in the second case. The limits of detection (LOD) of these sensors were about 10−13 M and 10−10 M respectively

Whole and Purified Aqueous Extracts of <i>Nigella sativa</i> L. Seeds Attenuate Apoptosis and the Overproduction of Reactive Oxygen Species Triggered by p53 Over-Expression in the Yeast <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>

Plants are an important source of pharmacologically active compounds. In the present work, we characterize the impact of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) aqueous extracts on a yeast model of p53-dependent apoptosis. To this end, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae recombinant strain over-expressing p53 was used. The over-expression of p53 triggers the expression of apoptotic markers: the externalization of phosphatidylserine, mitochondrial defect associated with cytochrome-c release and the induction of DNA strand breaks. These different effects were attenuated by Nigella sativa L. aqueous extracts, whereas these extracts have no effect on the level of p53 expression. Thus, we focus on the anti-apoptotic molecules present in the aqueous extract of Nigella sativa L. These extracts were purified and characterized by complementary chromatographic methods. Specific fluorescent probes were used to determine the effect of the extracts on yeast apoptosis. Yeast cells over-expressing p53 decrease in relative size and have lower mitochondrial content. The decrease in cell size was proportional to the decrease in mitochondrial content and of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). These effects were prevented by the purified aqueous fraction obtained by fractionation with different columns, named C4 fraction. Yeast cell death was also characterized by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction. In the presence of the C4 fraction, ROS overproduction was strongly reduced. We also noted that the C4 fraction promotes the cell growth of control yeast cells, which do not express p53, supporting the fact that this purified extract acts on cellular mediators activating cell proliferation independently of p53. Altogether, our data obtained on yeast cells over-expressing p53 demonstrate that anti-apoptotic molecules targeting p53-induced apoptosis associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS overproduction are present in the aqueous extracts of Nigella seeds and in the purified aqueous C4 fraction

Combined Preoperative Portal and Hepatic Vein Embolization (Biembolization) to Improve Liver Regeneration Before Major Liver Resection: A Preliminary Report

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