Melanoma as a medical problem

Closures in the splanchnic venous system (SVS) represent a broad medical problem. Anatomically, individual or even multiple sections of SVS may be affected at the same time. Main sections of SVS include the venous liver outflow system, the portal vein, and the upper mesenteric vein and its basin. Thrombosis is clearly the predominant cause of closure. The closures can present as acute, subacute, chronic occult or chronic manifest. The main pathological and anatomical units are the Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) and mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT). Advanced laboratory, imaging and intervention methods substantially modify the approach to prevention, diagnosis and treatment; surgical approach also plays a role. The problem of SVS closures is interdisciplinary.

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Identification of High-risk Patients for Implantable Cardioverter–Defibrillator Therapy in Asia

Asia Pacific Cardiology ◽

10.15420/apc.2011:3:1:77 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 77

Author(s):

Cyril YK Ko ◽

Jeffrey WH Fung ◽

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Keyword(s):

Heart Disease ◽

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator ◽

Asian Population ◽

Structural Heart Disease ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Western World ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Cardioverter Defibrillator ◽

Asian Patients ◽

Risk Patients

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a serious medical problem worldwide. Multiple landmark studies have demonstrated the benefit of implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) therapy in preventing SCD in at-risk patients. Although the data available in Asia are limited, the disease pattern seems to be different from that in the western world. The Asian population seems to have a lower incidence of SCD. Coronary heart disease, which is the major underlying cause of SCD in the west, may play a less important role in Asian countries. In addition, non-structural heart disease seems to be a more prevalent cause of SCD in Asia. It is thus questionable whether the results of ICD trials can be applied directly to Asian countries, as most of these trials seldom recruited Asian patients. This article will review SCD in Asia, focusing on the epidemiology and risk factors for SCD in Asia and highlighting some unique features that may be different from those seen in the western world.

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Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Anti-Melanoma Effect of Minocycline—A Study of Cytotoxicity and Apoptosis on Human Melanotic Melanoma Cells

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21186917 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (18) ◽

pp. 6917

Author(s):

Jakub Rok ◽

Zuzanna Rzepka ◽

Artur Beberok ◽

Justyna Pawlik ◽

Dorota Wrześniok

Keyword(s):

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Standard Treatment ◽

Annexin V ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Melanoma Cells ◽

Carcinoma Cells ◽

Anti Cancer ◽

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells ◽

Molecular Aspects ◽

Therapy Result

Minocycline is a tetracycline compound with pleiotropic pharmacological properties. In addition to its antibacterial action, it shows many non-antimicrobial effects, including an anti-cancer activity. The anti-cancer action was confirmed in studies on ovarian carcinoma cells, hepatocellular carcinoma cells, glioma cells, or acute myeloid leukemia cells. Malignant melanoma remains a serious medical problem despite the extensive knowledge of the disease. The low effectiveness of the standard treatment, as well as the resistance to therapy, result in high mortality rates. This work aimed to investigate the potential and mechanisms of anti-melanoma action of minocycline. Human skin melanotic melanoma cell line COLO 829 was used in the study. The obtained results showed that minocycline decreased cell viability and inhibited the growth of melanoma cells, proportional to the drug concentration as well as to the time of incubation. The EC50 values were calculated to be 78.6 µM, 31.7 µM, and 13.9 µM for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h, respectively. It was observed that treated cells had a disturbed cell cycle and significantly changed morphology. Moreover, minocycline caused a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in cells with a low level of reduced thiols. Finally, it was found that the anti-melanoma effect of minocycline was related to the induction of apoptosis. The drug activated caspases 8, 9, and 3/7 as well as increased the number of annexin V-positive cells. The presented results show that minocycline possesses anti-melanoma potential.

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Mechanism of Hepatitis B Virus cccDNA Formation

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13081463 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1463

Author(s):

Lei Wei ◽

Alexander Ploss

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Circular Dna ◽

Critical Step ◽

Hbv Cccdna ◽

Double Stranded Dna ◽

Cellular Environment ◽

B Virus ◽

Comprehensive Picture

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) remains a major medical problem affecting at least 257 million chronically infected patients who are at risk of developing serious, frequently fatal liver diseases. HBV is a small, partially double-stranded DNA virus that goes through an intricate replication cycle in its native cellular environment: human hepatocytes. A critical step in the viral life-cycle is the conversion of relaxed circular DNA (rcDNA) into covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the latter being the major template for HBV gene transcription. For this conversion, HBV relies on multiple host factors, as enzymes capable of catalyzing the relevant reactions are not encoded in the viral genome. Combinations of genetic and biochemical approaches have produced findings that provide a more holistic picture of the complex mechanism of HBV cccDNA formation. Here, we review some of these studies that have helped to provide a comprehensive picture of rcDNA to cccDNA conversion. Mechanistic insights into this critical step for HBV persistence hold the key for devising new therapies that will lead not only to viral suppression but to a cure.

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NeuroHeal Improves Muscle Regeneration after Injury

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells10010022 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

Sara Marmolejo-Martínez-Artesero ◽

David Romeo-Guitart ◽

Vanesa Venegas ◽

Mario Marotta ◽

Caty Casas

Keyword(s):

Satellite Cell ◽

Muscle Regeneration ◽

Cell Biology ◽

Fiber Type ◽

Traumatic Injury ◽

Injury Rate ◽

Scar Tissue ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Preclinical Model

Musculoskeletal injuries represent a challenging medical problem. Although the skeletal muscle is able to regenerate and recover after injury, the process engaged with conservative therapy can be inefficient, leading to a high re-injury rate. In addition, the formation of scar tissue implies an alteration of mechanical properties in muscle. There is still a need for new treatments of the injured muscle. NeuroHeal may be one option. Published studies demonstrated that it reduces muscle atrophy due to denervation and disuse. The main objective of the present work was to assess the potential of NeuroHeal to improve muscle regeneration after traumatic injury. Secondary objectives included characterizing the effect of NeuroHeal treatment on satellite cell biology. We used a rat model of sport-induced injury in the gastrocnemius and analyzed the effects of NeuroHeal on functional recovery by means of electrophysiology and tetanic force analysis. These studies were accompanied by immunohistochemistry of the injured muscle to analyze fibrosis, satellite cell state, and fiber type. In addition, we used an in vitro model to determine the effect of NeuroHeal on myoblast biology and partially decipher its mechanism of action. The results showed that NeuroHeal treatment advanced muscle fiber recovery after injury in a preclinical model of muscle injury, and significantly reduced the formation of scar tissue. In vitro, we observed that NeuroHeal accelerated the formation of myotubes. The results pave the way for novel therapeutic avenues for muscle/tendinous disorders.

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Prospects for the Personalized Multimodal Therapy Approach to Pain Management via Action on NO and NOS

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26092431 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 2431

Author(s):

Natalia A. Shnayder ◽

Marina M. Petrova ◽

Tatiana E. Popova ◽

Tatiana K. Davidova ◽

Olga P. Bobrova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Molecular Genetic ◽

Pain Syndrome ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Single Nucleotide Variants ◽

Genetic Studies ◽

Pain Syndromes ◽

Nos Inhibitors ◽

Peripheral Pain

Chronic pain syndromes are an important medical problem generated by various molecular, genetic, and pathophysiologic mechanisms. Back pain, neuropathic pain, and posttraumatic pain are the most important pathological processes associated with chronic pain in adults. Standard approaches to the treatment of them do not solve the problem of pain chronicity. This is the reason for the search for new personalized strategies for the prevention and treatment of chronic pain. The nitric oxide (NO) system can play one of the key roles in the development of peripheral pain and its chronicity. The purpose of the study is to review publications devoted to changes in the NO system in patients with peripheral chronical pain syndromes. We have carried out a search for the articles published in e-Library, PubMed, Oxford Press, Clinical Case, Springer, Elsevier, and Google Scholar databases. The search was carried out using keywords and their combinations. The role of NO and NO synthases (NOS) isoforms in peripheral pain development and chronicity was demonstrated primarily from animal models to humans. The most studied is the neuronal NOS (nNOS). The role of inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) is still under investigation. Associative genetic studies have shown that single nucleotide variants (SNVs) of NOS1, NOS2, and NOS3 genes encoding nNOS, iNOS, and eNOS may be associated with acute and chronic peripheral pain. Prospects for the use of NOS inhibitors to modulate the effect of drugs used to treat peripheral pain syndrome are discussed. Associative genetic studies of SNVs NOS1, NOS2, and NOS3 genes are important for understanding genetic predictors of peripheral pain chronicity and development of new personalized pharmacotherapy strategies.

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Elimination of nasal obstruction improves pulmonary functions and oxygenation

Egyptian Journal of Bronchology ◽

10.1186/s43168-021-00079-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eman Sobh ◽

Fatma Elhussieny ◽

Taghreed Ismail

Keyword(s):

Nasal Obstruction ◽

Blood Gases ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Forced Expiratory Volume ◽

Nasal Packing ◽

Nasal Pack ◽

Arterial Blood ◽

Study Population ◽

The Mean ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Nasal obstruction is a significant medical problem. This study aimed to examine the effect of nasal obstruction and nasal packing on arterial blood gases and pulmonary function indices, and the impact of the elimination of nasal obstruction on preoperative values. Results The mean age of the study population was 26.6 ± 10.1 years, males represented 50.8%. Spirometric indices showed statistically significant improvement (preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1st second 66.9 ± 13.9 vs 79.6 ± 14.9 postoperative and preoperative forced vital capacity 65.5 ± 12.7 vs 80.4 ± 13.8 postoperative). Oxygen saturation was significantly lower during nasal packing (95.6 ± 1.6 preoperative vs 94.7 ± 2.8 with nasal pack), and significant improvement (97.2 ± 1.4) was observed after removal of the nasal pack. Nasal obstruction scores significantly improved. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that either simple nasal obstruction or nasal packing may cause hypoxemia and abnormalities in lung function tests. Hypoxemia was more evident with nasal packing.

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Trauma-Induced Coagulopathy: Overview of an Emerging Medical Problem from Pathophysiology to Outcomes

Medicines ◽

10.3390/medicines8040016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 16

Author(s):

Gabriele Savioli ◽

Iride Francesca Ceresa ◽

Luca Caneva ◽

Sebastiano Gerosa ◽

Giovanni Ricevuti

Keyword(s):

Major Trauma ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Potential Drug ◽

The Past ◽

Trauma Induced Coagulopathy ◽

Threatening Condition ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Trauma Mortality

Coagulopathy induced by major trauma is common, affecting approximately one-third of patients after trauma. It develops independently of iatrogenic, hypothermic, and dilutive causes (such as iatrogenic cause in case of fluid administration), which instead have a pejorative aspect on coagulopathy. Notwithstanding the continuous research conducted over the past decade on Trauma-Induced Coagulopathy (TIC), it remains a life-threatening condition with a significant impact on trauma mortality. We reviewed the current evidence regarding TIC diagnosis and pathophysiological mechanisms and summarized the different iterations of optimal TIC management strategies among which product resuscitation, potential drug administrations, and hemostatis-focused approaches. We have identified areas of ongoing investigation and controversy in TIC management.

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POS1118 THE RELEVANCE OF OSTEOPOROSIS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT FOR DOCTORS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF PHYSICAL AND REHABILITATION MEDICINE

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases ◽

10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-eular.4274 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽

pp. 838.2-838

Author(s):

L. Marchenkova ◽

V. Vasileva

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Procedures ◽

Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Medical Rehabilitation ◽

Mineral Density ◽

Medical Specialties ◽

Treatment And Prevention ◽

Medical Institutions ◽

Physical And Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

High Prevalence

Background:There is a high prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) among patients of the older age undergoing rehabilitation. Therefore, it is obvious that physicians working in the field of physical and rehabilitative medicine should be well oriented in this medical problem.Objectives:to study the relevance of the problem of osteoporosis (OP) for physicians working in the field of physical and rehabilitation medicine, their awareness of the main methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this disease, as well as the frequency of their use in daily clinical activities.Methods:A cross-type study was carried out using a questionnaire survey. The study included 157 doctors (M-34, F-123) of 8 medical specialties working in 27 specialized medical institutions on the profile of “medical rehabilitation. The questionnaire for doctors consisted of 21 items of special questions.Results:90.45% of the surveyed doctors believed that the problem of OP is relevant for their clinical activities, 100% of the respondents indicated that the presence of OP significantly affects the rehabilitation prognosis and 95.54% - on the degree of effectiveness of medical rehabilitation. According to the respondents, patients with OP make up on average 30.0% [20.0; 50.0] (0-90) of the total flow of patients. 92.36% (145/157) of doctors indicated that they know the risk factors for OP, 98.73% (155/157) - methods for diagnosing OP, 68.79% (108/157) - methods for treating OP, 80.25 % (126/157) - methods of preventing OP, 47.13% (74/157) - what is FRAX. However, 35.01% (55/157) of the respondents considered their level of awareness of the problem sufficient for managing patients with OP. Diagnostic procedures for OP are recommended by all endocrinologists (100%) and the majority of traumatologists (72.73%), gynecologists (66.67) and cardiologists (64.28%), as well as on average half (50%) neurologists and therapists. Endocrinologists (100%), gynecologists (66.67%) and therapists (60%) are mainly involved in the treatment of OP. 32.48% (51/157) of physicians have ever referred their patients to a bone mineral density assessment.Conclusion:Conclusion. The problem of OP is relevant for the clinical activities of specialists in physical and rehabilitation medicine, and there is the need for advanced training on the problem of OP among these specialists.Disclosure of Interests:None declared.

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Sepsis Diagnostics: Intensive Care Scoring Systems Superior to MicroRNA Biomarker Testing

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics10090701 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 701

Author(s):

Fabian Link ◽

Knut Krohn ◽

Anna-Maria Burgdorff ◽

Annett Christel ◽

Julia Schumann

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Scoring Systems ◽

Digital Pcr ◽

Absolute Quantification ◽

Medical Problem ◽

Control Group ◽

Multiple Parameters ◽

Sepsis Diagnosis ◽

Intensive Care Patients ◽

Healthy Control

Sepsis represents a serious medical problem accounting for numerous deaths of critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs). An early, sensitive, and specific diagnosis is considered a key element for improving the outcome of sepsis patients. In addition to classical laboratory markers, ICU scoring systems and serum miRNAs are discussed as potential sepsis biomarkers. In the present prospective observational study, the suitability of miRNAs in sepsis diagnosis was tested based on proper validated and normalized data (i.e., absolute quantification by means of Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR)) in direct comparison to classical sepsis markers and ICU scores within the same patient cohort. Therefore, blood samples of septic intensive care patients (n = 12) taken at day of admission at ICU were compared to non-septic intensive care patients (n = 12) and a healthy control group (n = 12). Our analysis indicates that all tested biomarkers have only a moderate informative power and do not allow an unequivocal differentiation between septic and non-septic ICU patients. In conclusion, there is no standalone laboratory parameter that enables a reliable diagnosis of sepsis. miRNAs are not superior to classical parameters in this respect. It seems recommendable to measure multiple parameters and scores and to interpret them with regard to the clinical presentation.

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