Inflammatory modulation of the response of bronchial epithelial cells to lipopolysaccharide with pretreatment by montelukast

Montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, is the most prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used as an add-on therapy for asthma. Besides its effect on blocking leukotriene action, montelukast has been proposed to have secondary anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the modulatory effect of montelukast on the expression of major genes involved in airway inflammation (TNF, IL6) and remodeling (MMP9, TGFB1) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. The expression of selected genes was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction 0h and 24h after LPS stimulation in cells pretreated with montelukast. Montelukast was found to significantly attenuate increased TNF and IL6 gene expression, to have a mild effect on MMP9 and have no effect on TGFB1 expression upon stimulation with LPS. The results of our study indicate that patients on montelukast therapy would have an adequate response to acute microorganism-induced inflammation, so additional anti-inflammatory effects of montelukast should be better exploited

Different types of colorectal carcinoma characterization using stained and non stained plates by opto-magnetic spectroscopy

Prema podacima Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije, karcinom je vodeći uzrok smrti u svijetu, a na trećem mjestu je najuobičajeniji i najopasniji kolorektalni karcionom sa stopom od 17.3/100,000 pacijenata. Stoga je potrebno iznaći efektivna rješenja za poboljšanje kvaliteta i brzine dijagnostičkih alata koji će moći odgovoriti na izazove strategija prevencije koji su sastavni dio brze dijagnostike kod velikog broja pacijenata. Ciljevi istraživanja sprovedenog u ovom ispitivanju (in vitro) su: (1) ispitivanje mogućnosti primjene optomagnetne spektroskopije za karakterizaciju različitih vrsta karcinoma debelog crijeva, uz pomoć obojenih i neobojenih pločica, (2) validacija metode, (3) određivanje parametara za istraživanje u in vivo uslovima, i (4) primjena u kliničkim istraživanjima kako bi se poboljšala efikasnost i dobile pouzdanije dijagnoze. U ovom radu predstavljamo optomagnetnu spektroskopiju (OMIS) kao novu optičku metodu za diferenciranje različitih vrsta karcinoma debelog crijeva, kao i značajne sličnosti između obojenih i neobojenih pločica na osnovu uzajamnog djelovanja svjetlosti i tkiva. Rezultati su pokazali da se uz pomoć OMIS-a može naći razlika između kolorektalnog i drugih vrsta karcinoma debelog crijeva, kao i dokazati da je moguće izbjeći (bojenje) pločica.According to the World Health Organization cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and on the third place is the most common and dangerous colorectal cancer with the rate of 17.3/100,000 people. Therefore, it is necessary to find effective solutions to improve the quality and speed of diagnostic tools so that they can respond to the challenges of prevention strategies which are an integral part of the rapid diagnosis of a large number of patients. The objectives of the research conducted in this study (in vitro) are: (1) examining the possibilities of application of opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy for characterization between different types of colon cancer, stained and non-stained plates, (2) method validation, (3) parameters determination for research in in vivo conditions, and (4) application in clinical trial to increase the efficiency and give more reliable diagnosis. In this paper we present Opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) as a novel optical method for differentiation of different types of colon cancer, significant similarity between stained and non-stained plates based on light-tissue interaction. Results have showed that OMIS can make a difference between colorectal carcinoma and other types of colon cancer, as well as prove that plates staining can be avoided

Characterizacion of skin cancer with opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy

Melanom je najzloćudniji tumor kože u ljudskoj populaciji zbog kasne detekcije, velike invazivnosti i brze infiltracije. Pored melanoma, kancer kože čine bazocelularni karcinom, skvamocelularni karcinom i drugi rijetki karcinomi kao što su karcinom Merkelovih i Langerhansovih ćelija. Godišnji porast oboljelih od melanoma u Srbiji je 6%, dok u svijetu varira od 5% do 7%. Različite metode su se koristile za detekciju i diferencijaciju tumora kože koje se razlikuju po principu rada i efikasnosti detekcije. Nova metoda koja se koristi je opto-magnetna imidžing spektroskopija, bazirana na interakciji svjetlosti i tkiva. Ova tehnika mjeri razlike u interakciji kože sa bijelom ili polarizovanom svjetlošću u slučajevima kada zračenje pada normalno na kožu ili pod Brusterovim uglom. Ista mjerenja se mogu izvršiti i pri ozračivanju kože plavom i ljubičastom svjetlošću pri fiksiranom upadnom uglu. U ovoj studiji, OMIS se koristio za detekciju i diferencijaciju mladeža i melanoma, kao i za diferencijaciju melanoma i nemelanotičnih karcinoma kože. Istraživanja su uključila 65 pacijenata kod kojih su dermoskopski i histopatološki potvrđene različite lezije. Pokazano je dobro slaganje između rezultata dobijenih OMIS metodom i histopatoloških dijagnoza u uzorku od 97% pacijenata. Ovo pokazuje da opto-magnetna imidžing spektroskopija može biti jedna od metoda za detekciju i diferencijaciju različitih lezija kože.Melanoma is the most malignant skin cancer in human population due to late detection, high invasiveness and rapid infiltration. Besides melanoma, skin cancer includes Basal cell cancer (BCC), Squamous cell cancer (SCC), and other rare cancers like Mercel cell carcinoma and Langerhans cell carcinoma. The annual increase of melanoma patients in Serbia is 6%, while this number in the rest of the world varies between 5% and 7%. Various techniques are used to detect and differentiate skin cancers; these techniques differ in the principle of operation and detection efficiency. A novel method is an opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) based on light-tissue interaction. In more details, this technique measures the difference between responses of the skin when it is illuminated with white or polarized light under normal incidence or under Brewster angle. Different skin responses can also be measured under a fixed incident angle of the blue and the violet light. In this study, OMIS is used for detection and differentiation between simple mole (naevus) and melanoma, and for differentiation between non-melanoma cancer and melanoma. Investigations have included 65 patients with whom different lesions were confirmed by dermoscopy and histopathology. It is shown that good agreement between the results of the OMIS method and histopathological diagnosis were obtained in the sample covering 97% of the patients. This demonstrates that OMIS method can be one of the diagnostic methods for detection and differentiation of skin lesions

Initial weight loss after restrictive bariatric procedures may predict mid-term weight maintenance: results from a 12-month pilot trial

Background: Bariatric procedures are effective options for weight loss (WL) in the morbidly obese. However, some patients fail to lose any weight after bariatric surgery, and mid-term weight maintenance is variable. The aim of this study was to investigate whether initial WL could predict mid-term weight maintenance. ----- Methods: Eighty patients were enrolled, of whom 44 were treated with the BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB), 21 with laparoscopic adjustable gastric lap-banding (LAGB), and 15 with laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). Percentage of body WL and percentage of excess weight loss (EWL) were calculated at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Successful WL was defined as EWL >20% for patients treated with BIB and >50% for patients treated with LAGB and SG. ----- Results: Success in the 6th and 12th month was achieved in 80% and 58% of patients in the BIB group, 33% and 40% in the LAGB group, and 60% and 73% in the LSG group. In the BIB group, WL in the 1st month correlated positively with WL at the 6th and 12th month, and an initial WL >6.5% best predicted success (sensitivity 50%, specificity 80%). A similar association was observed in the LAGB group at the 6th and 12th month and an initial WL >9.4% best predicted success (sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 81.2%). In patients treated with LSG, WL in the 3rd month correlated positively with EWL at the 6th and 12th month, with a cutoff value of 17% (sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 100%). ----- Conclusions: WL in the 1st month in patients treated with BIB and LAGB and WL in the 3rd month in patients treated with LSG could be used as a prognostic factor to predict mid-term weight maintenance

Opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy in characterization of the tissues during hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Background/aim: Opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) was used as a novel method to detemine tissue molecular conformation changes during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of OMIS for the assessment of HBO therapy effectiveness on the diseased tissue. Methods: OMIS is concerned with obtaining paramagnetic/diamagnetic properties of materials, related to the presence of unpaired/paired electrons based on their interaction with visible light. The basic tool is light of wavelength in the range between 400 nm and 700 nm and its interaction with tissue. The study included 22 subjects: 16 angiopathy patients and 6 healthy subjects as the control group. OMIS was used with patients on the 1st, 10th and 20th session and with the control group on the 1st, 10th and 20th day without HBO therapy in between. Results: The obtained results showed that healthy skin of all the control group subjects had the same shape curve. In the angiopathy patient group, before the first session OMIS showed tissue disorder and after the last session results resembled more closely the results in healthy tissue. The differences in the tissue state in the angiopathy group before each session were noticeable, showing normalized tissue under the influence of HBO. Conclusion: The results show that OMIS could be used as a diagnostic tool for detection of the tissue state before and after the HBO therapy

Position of Intragastric Balloons in Global Initiative for Obesity Treatment

Obesity is chronic disease with multiple health consequences and among the most severe health problems worldwide. According to public health records around 65% of population in Croatia are overweight and 20% obese. National physicians chamber with support of Health and Social Welfare Ministry gave recommendations on diagnosing and treating of obesity in form of national consensus. Treatment of obesity is complex and enrolls multiple clinical specialties. Change of life style, strenuous physical activity and pharmacotherapy are part of conservative treatments. Patients are treated more efficiently by minimally invasive endoscopic procedures or bariatric surgery depending on starting body mass index score. Implantation of intragastric balloons is conceptually simple method of obesity treatment. Modern devices as Bio- Enterics intragastric balloons (BIB®), (Inamed Health, USA) are gaining wide popularity among both patients and physicians. BIB intragastric offers the best gains with individuals ranging BMI from 35 to 40. Efficiency has relative timeline dependance from 85% at 6 months to 24% at 36 months. BIB offers substantial ameliorative influence on obesity comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular risk. Treatment with BIB is also efficient but transient treatment modality in morbidly and superobese individuals to reduce preoperative risks of general and bariatric surgery. Obesity treatment with BIB is well tolerated and safe, offering better quality of life. Nevertheless, due to relative poor results of conservative obesity treatments on long term follow up further investigations defining new clinical parameters for solving treatment resistance. In order to provide resourcefully individualized approach modern perspectives are focused on endocrine constitutes of obesity. Hormonal effects of BIB treatment in compare to bariatric surgery are potentially interesting for the prospect studies

DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLORECTAL CARCINOMA CHARACTERIZATION USING STAINED AND NON STAINED PLATES BY OPTO-MAGNETIC SPECTROSCOPY

According to the World Health Organization cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and on the third place is the most common and dangerous colorectal cancer with the rate of 17.3/100,000 people. Therefore, it is necessary to find effective solutions to improve the quality and speed of diagnostic tools so that they can respond to the challenges of prevention strategies which are an integral part of the rapid diagnosis of a large number of patients. The objectives of the research conducted in this study (in vitro) are: (1) examining the possibilities of application of opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy for characterization between different types of colon cancer, stained and non-stained plates, (2) method validation, (3) parameters determination for research in in vivo conditions, and (4) application in clinical trial to increase the efficiency and give more reliable diagnosis. In this paper we present Opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) as a novel optical method for differentiation of different types of colon cancer, significant similarity between stained and non-stained plates based on light-tissue interaction. Results have showed that OMIS can make a difference between colorectal carcinoma and other types of colon cancer, as well as prove that plates staining can be avoided.According to the World Health Organization cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and on the third place is the most common and dangerous colorectal cancer with the rate of 17.3/100,000 people. Therefore, it is necessary to find effective solutions to improve the quality and speed of diagnostic tools so that they can respond to the challenges of prevention strategies which are an integral part of the rapid diagnosis of a large number of patients. The objectives of the research conducted in this study (in vitro) are: (1) examining the possibilities of application of opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy for characterization between different types of colon cancer, stained and non-stained plates, (2) method validation, (3) parameters determination for research in in vivo conditions, and (4) application in clinical trial to increase the efficiency and give more reliable diagnosis. In this paper we present Opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) as a novel optical method for differentiation of different types of colon cancer, significant similarity between stained and non-stained plates based on light-tissue interaction. Results have showed that OMIS can make a difference between colorectal carcinoma and other types of colon cancer, as well as prove that plates staining can be avoided

CHARACTERIZACION OF SKIN CANCER WITH OPTO-MAGNETIC IMAGING SPECTROSCOPY

Melanoma is the most malignant skin cancer in human population due to late detection, high invasiveness and rapid infiltration. Besides melanoma, skin cancer includes Basal cell cancer (BCC), Squamous cell cancer (SCC), and other rare cancers like Mercel cell carcinoma and Langerhans cell carcinoma. The annual increase of melanoma patients in Serbia is 6%, while this number in the rest of the world varies between 5% and 7%. Various techniques are used to detect and differentiate skin cancers; these techniques differ in the principle of operation and detection efficiency. A novel method is an opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) based on light-tissue interaction. In more details, this technique measures the difference between responses of the skin when it is illuminated with white or polarized light under normal incidence or under Brewster angle. Different skin responses can also be measured under a fixed incident angle of the blue and the violet light. In this study, OMIS is used for detection and differentiation between simple mole (naevus) and melanoma, and for differentiation between non-melanoma cancer and melanoma. Investigations have included 65 patients with whom different lesions were confirmed by dermoscopy and histopathology. It is shown that good agreement between the results of the OMIS method and histopathological diagnosis were obtained in the sample covering 97% of the patients. This demonstrates that OMIS method can be one of the diagnostic methods for detection and differentiation of skin lesions.Melanoma is the most malignant skin cancer in human population due to late detection, high invasiveness and rapid infiltration. Besides melanoma, skin cancer includes Basal cell cancer (BCC), Squamous cell cancer (SCC), and other rare cancers like Mercel cell carcinoma and Langerhans cell carcinoma. The annual increase of melanoma patients in Serbia is 6%, while this number in the rest of the world varies between 5% and 7%. Various techniques are used to detect and differentiate skin cancers; these techniques differ in the principle of operation and detection efficiency. A novel method is an opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy (OMIS) based on light-tissue interaction. In more details, this technique measures the difference between responses of the skin when it is illuminated with white or polarized light under normal incidence or under Brewster angle. Different skin responses can also be measured under a fixed incident angle of the blue and the violet light. In this study, OMIS is used for detection and differentiation between simple mole (naevus) and melanoma, and for differentiation between non-melanoma cancer and melanoma. Investigations have included 65 patients with whom different lesions were confirmed by dermoscopy and histopathology. It is shown that good agreement between the results of the OMIS method and histopathological diagnosis were obtained in the sample covering 97% of the patients. This demonstrates that OMIS method can be one of the diagnostic methods for detection and differentiation of skin lesions

Distinct effects of virgin coconut oil supplementation on the glucose and lipid homeostasis in non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats

Non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats were fed with standard laboratory food enriched with 20% virgincoconut oil for 16 weeks. In non-diabetic animals coconut oil improved insulin sensitivity and ability to controlglycaemia and decreased the serum triglycerides for almost 50% in comparison with controls. Supplementationwith coconut oil caused liver steatosis in both non-diabetic and diabetic animals. However, the severity ofsteatosis was lower in diabetic animals compared to non-diabetic animals. Coconut oil had no effects on hearthistology, ascending and abdominal aorta wall thickening and atherosclerotic plaques development neither innon-diabetic nor in diabetic animals. While alloxan treatment caused Type I diabetes in rats, supplementationwith coconut oil in combination with the alloxan unexpectedly resulted in Type II diabetes. The development ofsevere insulin resistance and deterioration in serum lipid profile implied that the use of coconut oil is contra-indicated in diabetic condition

Cyclin d1 and p57 expression in relation to clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma

Purpose: There is a need for identifying molecular prognostic biomarkers to better predict clinical outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study investigated the pattern of cyclin D1 and p57 expression in RCC patients and evaluated their relation with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival (OS). Methods: Immunohistochemistry was applied to paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 74 RCC patients. Two cut-off groups were defined by the fraction of positive cells as fol-lows: ≤10% and >10% positive cells for cyclin D1, and ≤5% and >5% positive cells for p57. Results: Cyclin D1 expression in >10% of positive cells was observed mostly in the clear cell RCC, while p57 expression in ≤5% of positive cells was found in 86% of chromophobe RCC specimens. The higher expression of cyclin D1 and lower expression of p57 were more frequent in grade I-II tumors. OS was associated with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics. However, cyclin D1/p57 expression did not influence the survival rates. Conclusion: Although cyclin D1 and p57 expression did not affect survival rates in RCC patients, proper validation and establishment of the qualitative cut-off point are needed for these tumors