417 research outputs found
Treatment for Advanced Prostatic Cancer
Recently, there has been a proliferation of experimental and clinical data
supporting early androgen deprivation for advanced prostatic cancer, due to the new
insights provided by a more thorough understanding of prostate cancer biology. The
logn term survival of patients with prostatic metastatic disease will require the development
of novel treatment strategies truly effective against anti-androgen-resistant tumor
cells and their use in concert with early androgen deprivation. To date, no evidence has
been generated in experimental animal or human models of prostate cancer that
supports the previous concept of delayed hormonal therapy.
The development of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists and
the anti-androgens has prompted a resurgence of interest in initial total androgen
blockade, and the inhibition of the activity of 5-alpha reductase could provide a safe
and effective way to remove prostatic intraepithelial dihydrotestosterone, resulting in a
diminishing production of growth factors. The rationale for the use of Sumarin in the
treatment of stage D prostatic cancer refractory to conventional hormonal manipulation
is its ability to block the activity of several growth factors, including basic fibroblast
growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), etc. which have been
postulated to have important roles in prostatic cell biolgy
Nucleosome deposition and DNA methylation at coding region boundaries
Nucleosomes and methylation have been observed to peak at both ends of protein coding units in a genome-wide survey
Volumetric analysis and indocyanine green retention rate at 15āmin as predictors of postāhepatectomy liver failure
AbstractObjectivesThe actual future liver remnant (aFLR) is calculated as the ratio of remnant liver volume (RLV) to total functional liver volume (TFLV). The standardized future liver remnant (sFLR) is calculated as the ratio of RLV to standard liver volume (SLV). The aims of this study were to compare the aFLR with the sFLR and to determine criteria for safe hepatectomy using computed tomography volumetry and indocyanine green retention rate at 15āmin (ICG R15).MethodsMedical records and volumetric measurements were obtained retrospectively for 81 patients who underwent right hemiāhepatectomy for malignant hepatic tumours from January 2010 to November 2013. The sFLR was compared with the aFLR, and a ratio of sFLR to ICG R15 as a predictor of postoperative hepatic function was established.ResultsIn patients without cirrhosis, the sFLR showed a stronger correlation with the total serum bilirubin level than the aFLR (R2 = 0.499 versus R2 = 0.239). Postāhepatectomy liver failure developed only in the group with an sFLR of <25%, regardless of ICG R15. In patients with cirrhosis, the aFLR and sFLR had no correlation with postoperative total serum bilirubin. An sFLRā:āICG R15 ratio of >1.9 showed 66.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity.ConclusionsRegardless of ICG R15, an sFLR of ā„25% in patients without cirrhosis, and an sFLR of ā„25% with an sFLRā:āICG R15 ratio of >1.9 in patients with cirrhosis indicate acceptable levels of safety in major hepatectomy
A High-Speed Range-Matching TCAM for Storage-Efficient Packet Classification
AbstractāA critical issue in the use of TCAMs for packet
classification is how to efficiently represent rules with ranges,
known as range matching. A range-matching ternary content
addressable memory (RM-TCAM) including a highly functional
range-matching cell (RMC) is presented in this paper. By offering
various range operators, the RM-TCAM can reduce storage
expansion ratio from 4.21 to 1.01 compared with conventional
TCAMs, under real-world packet classification rule sets, which
results in reduced power consumption and die area. A new pre-discharging
match-line scheme is used to realize high-speed searching
in a dynamic match-line structure. An additional charge-recycling
driver further reduces the power consumption of search lines.
Simulation results of a 256 64-bit range-matching TCAM, when
implemented in the 0.13- m CMOS technology, achieves a 1.99-ns
search time with an energy efficiency of 1.26 fJ/bit/search. While a
TCAM including range encoding approach requires an additional
SRAM or DRAM, the RM-TCAM can improve storage efficiency
without any extra components as well as reduce the die area
Ameliorating effects of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit on plasma ethanol level in a mouse model assessed with 1H-NMR based metabolic profiling
The ameliorating effects of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) flesh and peel samples on plasma ethanol level were investigated using a mouse model. Mango fruit samples remarkably decreased mouse plasma ethanol levels and increased the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. The 1H-NMR-based metabolomic technique was employed to investigate the differences in metabolic profiles of mango fruits, and mouse plasma samples fed with mango fruit samples. The partial least squares-discriminate analysis of 1H-NMR spectral data of mouse plasma demonstrated that there were clear separations among plasma samples from mice fed with buffer, mango flesh and peel. A loading plot demonstrated that metabolites from mango fruit, such as fructose and aspartate, might stimulate alcohol degradation enzymes. This study suggests that mango flesh and peel could be used as resources for functional foods intended to decrease plasma ethanol level after ethanol uptake
Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision in a Rectal Cancer Patient with Situs Inversus Totalis
Situs inversus totalis is a rare anomaly in which the abdominal and thoracic cavity structures are opposite their usual positions. A 41-yr-old woman, who had an ulcerating cancer on the rectum, was found as a case of situs inversus totalis. We present an overview of the operative technique for the first documented laparoscopic total mesorectal excision of a rectal cancer in the patient with situs inversus totalis. Careful consideration of the mirror-image anatomy permitted a safe operation using techniques not otherwise different from those used for the general population. Therefore, curative laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer in this patient is feasible and safe
Nitric oxide induces MUC5AC mucin in respiratory epithelial cells through PKC and ERK dependent pathways
BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide (NO) is generally increased during inflammatory airway diseases. This increased NO stimulates the secretion of mucin from the goblet cell and submucosal glands but the mechanism is still unknown precisely. In this study, we investigated potential signaling pathways involving protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the NO-induced MUC5AC mucin gene and protein expression in A549 cells. METHODS: Nitric oxide was donated to the A549 cells by NOR-1. MUC5AC mucin levels were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MUC5AC promoter activity was determined by measuring luciferase activity after the lysing the transfected cells. Activation of PKC isoforms were measured by assessing the distribution of the enzyme between cytosolic and membrane fractions using immunoblotting. Immunoblotting experiments using a monoclonal antibody specific to PKC isoforms were performed in the cytosol and membrane fractions from A549 cells. Western blot analysis for pERK and p38 were performed using the corresponding antibodies from the cell lysates after donating NO to the A549 cells by NOR-1. RESULTS: The transcriptional activity of MUC5AC promoter was maximal at the concentration of 0.1 mM NOR-1 for 1 hour incubation in transfected A549 cells. (Ā±)-(E)-methyl-2-((E)-hydroxyimino)-5-nitro-6-methoxy-3-hexenamide (NOR-1) markedly displaced the protein kinase C (PKC)Ī± and PKCĪ“ from the cytosol to the membrane. Furthermore, the PKC-Ī±,Ī²inhibitors, GĆ6976 (10 nM) and PKCĪ“ inhibitors, rottlerin (4 Ī¼M) inhibited the NOR-1 induced migration of PKCĪ± and PKCĪ“ respectively. NOR-1 also markedly increased the MUC5AC promoter activity and mRNA expression, mucin synthesis and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. The PKC inhibitors also inhibited the NOR-1 induced MUC5AC mRNA and MUC5AC protein synthesis by inhibiting the activation of PKCĪ± and PKCĪ“ with ERK1/2 pathways. CONCLUSION: Exogenous NO induced the MUC5AC mucin gene and protein through the PKCĪ± and PKCĪ“ ā ERK pathways in A549 cells. Inhibition of PKC attenuated NO-mediated MUC5AC mucin synthesis. In view of this findings, PKC inhibitors might be useful in the treatment of bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis patients where NO and mucus are increased in the bronchial airways
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