Underactive bladder - an underestimated entity

Introduction. The concept of underactive bladder is relatively new. Currently there is no generally accepted definition of this pathology. Diagnosis depends on urodynamic findings, and symptoms are usually rare and intricated with the symptoms of other urinary pathology. Matherials and methods. This review examines the current literature on underactive bladder regarding pathology, definition, diagnosis, current guidelines, and any further potential medical developments. Conclusions. Underactive bladder is a poorly understood pathologic condition. Only since 2002 has there been any consensus regarding the definition. The diagnosis relies only on urodynamics; clinical diagnosis is a challenge even for a consultant; and treatment does not seem to alleviate much of the suffering. This disease remains underrecognized and undertreated. More research is needed to identify less invasive diagnosis tools and treatment for this pathology

Nanodiagnosis and Nanotreatment of Cardiovascular Diseases: An Overview

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the world’s leading cause of mortality and represent a large contributor to the costs of medical care. Although tremendous progress has been made for the diagnosis of CVDs, there is an important need for more effective early diagnosis and the design of novel diagnostic methods. The diagnosis of CVDs generally relies on signs and symptoms depending on molecular imaging (MI) or on CVD-associated biomarkers. For early-stage CVDs, however, the reliability, specificity, and accuracy of the analysis is still problematic. Because of their unique chemical and physical properties, nanomaterial systems have been recognized as potential candidates to enhance the functional use of diagnostic instruments. Nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, lipids, and polymeric nanoparticles represent novel sources to target CVDs. The special properties of nanomaterials including surface energy and topographies actively enhance the cellular response within CVDs. The availability of newly advanced techniques in nanomaterial science opens new avenues for the targeting of CVDs. The successful application of nanomaterials for CVDs needs a detailed understanding of both the disease and targeting moieties

Long-Term Resveratrol Supplementation as a Secondary Prophylaxis for Stroke

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, as well as a source of long-term disabilities and huge socioeconomic costs. This study investigates the effects of resveratrol, an antioxidant supplement, on blood pressure, weight status, glucose, and lipid profile in patients who had a stroke in the last 12 months. Two hundred and twenty-eight patients were divided into three groups: group I received only allopathic treatment (control group), while groups II and III received allopathic treatment with a daily supplementation of oral resveratrol (100 and 200 mg, resp.) for 12 months. In all groups, the changes of the studied parameters were monitored at 6 and 12 months from the initial evaluation. In groups II and III, resveratrol induced significant changes (p<0.05) in the blood pressure, body mass index, as well as all parameters of the lipid profile, and glucose (in nondiabetic patients), compared to the control group. The supplementation of the allopathic treatment with resveratrol had a beneficial effect on all monitored parameters, which serve as major risk factors for stroke

Underactive bladder - an underestimated entity

Introduction. The concept of underactive bladder is relatively new. Currently there is no generally accepted definition of this pathology. Diagnosis depends on urodynamic findings, and symptoms are usually rare and intricated with the symptoms of other urinary pathology. Matherials and methods. This review examines the current literature on underactive bladder regarding pathology, definition, diagnosis, current guidelines, and any further potential medical developments. Conclusions. Underactive bladder is a poorly understood pathologic condition. Only since 2002 has there been any consensus regarding the definition. The diagnosis relies only on urodynamics; clinical diagnosis is a challenge even for a consultant; and treatment does not seem to alleviate much of the suffering. This disease remains underrecognized and undertreated. More research is needed to identify less invasive diagnosis tools and treatment for this pathology

Revolutionizing pediatric neuroblastoma treatment: unraveling new molecular targets for precision interventions

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most frequent solid tumor in pediatric cases, contributing to around 15% of childhood cancer-related deaths. The wide-ranging genetic, morphological, and clinical diversity within NB complicates the success of current treatment methods. Acquiring an in-depth understanding of genetic alterations implicated in the development of NB is essential for creating safer and more efficient therapies for this severe condition. Several molecular signatures are being studied as potential targets for developing new treatments for NB patients. In this article, we have examined the molecular factors and genetic irregularities, including those within insulin gene enhancer binding protein 1 (ISL1), dihydropyrimidinase-like 3 (DPYSL3), receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) and murine double minute 2-tumor protein 53 (MDM2-P53) that play an essential role in the development of NB. A thorough summary of the molecular targeted treatments currently being studied in pre-clinical and clinical trials has been described. Recent studies of immunotherapeutic agents used in NB are also studied in this article. Moreover, we explore potential future directions to discover new targets and treatments to enhance existing therapies and ultimately improve treatment outcomes and survival rates for NB patients

Evaluation of cell adhesion and osteoconductivity in bone substitutes modified by polydopamine

Bones damaged due to disease or accidents can be repaired in different ways. Tissue engineering has helped with scaffolds made of different biomaterials and various methods. Although all kinds of biomaterials can be useful, sometimes their weakness in cellular activity or osteoconductivity prevents their optimal use in the fabrication of bone scaffolds. To solve this problem, we need additional processes, such as surface modification. One of the common methods is coating with polydopamine. Polydopamine can not only cover the weakness of the scaffolds in terms of cellular properties, but it can also create or increase osteoconductivity properties. Polydopamine creates a hydrophilic layer on the surface of scaffolds due to a large number of functional groups such as amino and hydroxyl groups. This layer allows bone cells to anchor and adheres well to the surfaces. In addition, it creates a biocompatible environment for proliferation and differentiation. Besides, the polydopamine coating makes the surfaces chemically active by catechol and amine group, and as a result of their presence, osteoconductivity increases. In this mini-review, we investigated the characteristics, structure, and properties of polydopamine as a modifier of bone substitutes. Finally, we evaluated the cell adhesion and osteoconductivity of different polydopamine-modified bone scaffolds

Reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages as a unique approach to target tumor immunotherapy

In the last ten years, it has become increasingly clear that tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells drive not just carcinogenesis via cancer-related inflammatory processes, but also tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in particular are the most common kind of leucocyte in many malignancies and play a crucial role in establishing a favorable microenvironment for tumor cells. Tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) is vital as the primary immune cell subset in the tumor microenvironment (TME).In order to proliferate and spread to new locations, tumors need to be able to hide from the immune system by creating an immune-suppressive environment. Because of the existence of pro-tumoral TAMs, conventional therapies like chemotherapy and radiotherapy often fail to restrain cancer growth. These cells are also to blame for the failure of innovative immunotherapies premised on immune-checkpoint suppression. Understanding the series of metabolic changes and functional plasticity experienced by TAMs in the complex TME will help to use TAMs as a target for tumor immunotherapy and develop more effective tumor treatment strategies. This review summarizes the latest research on the TAMs functional status, metabolic changes and focuses on the targeted therapy in solid tumors

Cardio-Renal Metabolic Syndrome: Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Methods

Medical interdisciplinarity in making a correct diagnosis is of the utmost importance for an optimal treatment, which should include both effective therapeutic means (drugs and/or surgery) and the complex aspects (nutrition, lifestyle, rehabilitation, etc [...

Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils

In recent few years, the high efficacy of herbal antioxidant products in various diseases has been reported [...

Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oils

In recent few years, the high efficacy of herbal antioxidant products in various diseases has been reported [...