Objective(s): Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that has been shown to have numerous central and peripheral effects. The central effects including GH secretion, food intake, and energy homeostasis are partly mediated by Kiss1- KissR signaling pathway. Ghrelin and its receptor are also expressed in the pancreatic islets. Ghrelin is one of the key metabolic factors controlling insulin secretion from t...

The Cri du Chat syndrome (CdCS) is a genetic disease resulting from a deletion of variable size occurring on the short arm of chromosome 5 (5p-). The incidence ranges from 1:15,000 to 1:50,000 live-born infants. The main clinical features are a high-pitched monochromatic cry, microcephaly, broad nasal bridge, epicanthal folds, micrognathia, abnormal dermatoglyphics, and severe psychomotor and m...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Laparoscopic cryoablation (LCA) has emerged as an alternative to conventional surgery for the management of a T(1) renal mass; however, only few data are available on its functional outcomes. We assessed renal function changes after LCA in patients with normal renal function (NRF) and preexisting chronic renal insufficiency (CRI). PATIENTS AND METHODS Data of consecutiv...

Significant evidence exists regarding altered CYP450 enzymes in chronic renal insufficiency (CRI), although none exists for the phase II enzymes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CRI on hepatic and renal UDP-glucuronyltransferase (UGT) enzymes. Three groups of rats were included: CRI induced by the 5/6th nephrectomy model, control, and control pair-fed (CPF) rats. UG...

BACKGROUND Although allopurinol is a very effective urate-lowering drug for complicated hyperuricemia, in some patients, it can induce severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs). Recent investigations suggest that HLA-B*5801 is a very strong marker for allopurinol-induced SCARs, especially in the population with a high frequency of HLA-B*5801. Korea is one of the countries with a high frequency...

Chemotherapy plays a critical and venturous role against the co-morbidity of nonsmall cell lung cancer and interstitial lung disease (NSCLC-ILD).We performed a Bayesian meta-analysis and systematic review to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the chemotherapy in NSCLC-ILD patients.EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and clinicaltrials.gov (up to January 2015).We...

BACKGROUND The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T polymorphism is a risk factor for neural tube defects. The T allele produces an enzyme with reduced folate-processing capacity, which has been associated with lower blood folate concentrations. OBJECTIVE We assessed the association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and blood folate concentrations among healthy women aged 12-49 y. ...

The anti-phenyltrimethylamino (TMA) response in A/J mice is characterized by a cross-reactive idiotype(s) (CRI) that appears linked to the Ig-Ie allotype. These findings made it attractive to look for a CRI on T cells reactive to the same TMA determinant. Thus a suppressor T-cell (Ts) assay specific for L-tyrosine-p-azophenyltrimethylammonium [tyr(TMA)] was developed. A/J mice were primed with ...

The role of childhood respiratory infections before 12 yrs of age (CRI) and during adolescence-adulthood (ARI) was studied in a general population sample (n = 3,289), living in an unpolluted area of Northern Italy. The presence of respiratory symptoms and diseases, as well as risk factors for obstructive airways disease (OAD), was assessed by a standardized questionnaire. Forced vital capacity ...

The amino acid sequence of the L-CDR2 (complementarity-determining region) of Bla mRF (monoclonal rheumatoid factor) is identical to that of the Wa mRFs. The PSL2-CRI (crossreactive idiotype), as determined by anti-PSL2, which has been shown to be present on all Wa mRFs, is also present on the Bla mRF and other monoclonal autoantibodies. PSL2-CRI is, therefore, not unique to Wa mRFs and may be ...