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Nathan Goodyear

Branched Chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Patients with Cirrhosis | Clinical Correl... - 0 views

  • low level of BCAAs in patients with cirrhosis is hypothesized to be one of multiple factors responsible for development of hepatic encephalopathy
  • supplementation of BCAAs is thought to facilitate ammonia detoxification by supporting synthesis of glutamine, one of the non-branched chain amino acids, in skeletal muscle and in the brain as well as diminishing the influx of AAAs across the blood-brain barrier
  • oral BCAA supplementation is more useful in chronic encephalopathic patients than is parenteral BCAA supplementation in patients with acute encephalopathy
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  • malnutrition progressing to cachexia is another common manifestation of cirrhosis
  • Malnutrition can be mitigated with BCAA supplementation
  • Studies show that administration of amino acid formulas enriched with BCAAs can reduce protein loss, support protein synthesis, and improve nutritional status of patients with chronic liver disease
  • Leucine has been shown to be the most effective of the BCAAs because it acts via multiple pathways to stimulate protein synthesis
  • BCAAs metabolites inhibit proteolysis
  • Patients with cirrhosis have both insulin deficiency and insulin resistance
  • BCAAs (particularly leucine) help to reverse the catabolic, hyperglucagonemic state of cirrhosis both by stimulating insulin release from the pancreatic β cells and by decreasing insulin resistance allowing for better glucose utilization
  • Coadministration of BCAAs and glucose has been found to be particularly useful
  • BCAA supplementation improves protein-energy malnutrition by improving utilization of glucose, thereby diminishing the drive for proteolysis, inhibiting protein breakdown, and stimulating protein synthesis
  • Cirrhotic patients have impaired immune defense, characterized by defective phagocytic activity and impaired intracellular killing activity
  • another effect of BCAA supplementation is improvement of phagocytic function of neutrophils and possibly improvement in natural killer T (NKT) cell lymphocyte activity
  • BCAA supplementation may reduce the risk of infection in patients with advanced cirrhosis not only through improvement in protein-energy malnutrition but also by directly improving the function of the immune cells themselves
  • BCAA administration has also been shown to have a positive effect on liver regeneration
  • A proposed mechanism for improved liver regeneration is the stimulatory effect of BCAAs (particularly leucine) on the secretion of hepatocyte growth factor by hepatic stellate cells
  • BCAAs activate rapamycin signaling pathways which promotes albumin synthesis in the liver as well as protein and glycogen synthesis in muscle tissue
  • Chemical improvement with BCAA treatment is demonstrated by recovery of serum albumin and lowering of serum bilirubin levels
  • long-term oral BCAA supplementation was useful in staving off malnutrition and improving survival by preventing end-stage fatal complications of cirrhosis such as hepatic failure and gastrointestinal bleeding
  • The incidence of death by any cause, development of liver cancer, rupture of esophageal varices, or progression to hepatic failure was decreased in the group that received BCAA supplementation
  • Patients receiving BCAA supplementation also have a lower average hospital admission rate, better nutritional status, and better liver function tests
  • patients taking BCAA supplementation report improved quality of life
  • BCAAs have been shown to mitigate hepatic encephalopathy, cachexia, and infection rates, complications associated with the progression of hepatic cirrhosis
  • BCAAs make up 20-25% of the protein content of most foods
  • Highest levels are found in casein whey protein of dairy products and vegetables, such as corn and mushrooms. Other sources include egg albumin, beans, peanuts and brown rice bran
  • In addition to BCAAs from diet, oral supplements of BCAAs can be used
  • Oral supplementation tends to provide a better hepatic supply of BCAAs for patients able to tolerate PO nutrition as compared with IV supplementation, especially when treating symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy
  • Coadministration of BCAAs with carnitine and zinc has also been shown to increase ammonia metabolism further reducing the encephalopathic symptoms
  • Cirrhotic patients benefit from eating frequent, small meals that prevent long fasts which place the patient in a catabolic state
  • the best time for BCAA supplementation is at bedtime to improve the catabolic state during starvation in early morning fasting
  • A late night nutritional snack reduces symptoms of weakness and fatigability, lowers postprandial hyperglycemia, increases skeletal muscle mass,[25] improves nitrogen balance, and increases serum albumin levels.[26] Nocturnal BCAAs even improve serum albumin in cirrhotic patients who show no improvement with daytime BCAAs
  • Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), with low serum albumin and low muscle mass, occurs in 65-90% of cases of advanced cirrhosis
  • hyperglucagonemia results in a catabolic state eventually producing anorexia and cachexia
  • BCAAs are further depleted from the circulation due to increased uptake by skeletal muscles that use the BCAAs in the synthesis of glutamine, which is produced in order to clear the ammonia that is not cleared by the failing liver
  • patients with chronic liver disease, particularly cirrhosis, routinely have decreased BCAAs and increased aromatic amino acids (AAAs) in their circulation
  • Maintaining a higher serum albumin in patients with cirrhosis is associated with decreased mortality and improved quality of life
  • the serum BCAA concentration is strongly correlated with the serum albumin level
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    great review of cirrhosis and BCCA supplementation.
wheelchairindia9

Wrist and Forearm Splints Causes and Recovery Period | Health | Article Point - 0 views

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    Wrist and forearm splints may be suggested for people with weak wrists or for those that have been previously injured, for tendonitis wrist support and even as a preventative for those who awaken in the morning with pain or numbness after sleeping on their hands at night. The best orthopedic wrist braces for carpal tunnel syndrome, occupational stabilization and relief from the pain of wrist strains and sprains. This Right hand wrist and forearm splint from tynor is meant to be used among patients suffering from any injury or sprain in these regions. The splint is meant to provide controlled compression in various orthopaedic conditions. The splint immobilizes the area that helps in a speedier recovery. It has anatomical thumb opening that allows free movement of the thumb. It provides a lot of comfort and is easily breathable. Forearm splint is the term used to describe the forearm pain similarly the pain of lower leg over the shin is known as shin splints. Forearm splint describes the painful disease of elbow or wrist joint. Continuous pain in forearm is often caused by tendonitis, joint injury or hairline fracture of forearm bones (proximal radius or ulna near elbow joint). Overstretching of the elbow joint often causes forearm injury. Symptoms consist of a dull pain in the forearm. Pain is minor initially but increases as activity continues. Often pin-pointed to the dorsal or back of the hand side of the forearm, mid-way between the wrist and elbow. The patient may experience weakness in the wrist extensor muscles and tenderness deep in the forearm. Pain may be reproduced by attempting to bend the wrist backwards against resistance. They provided wrist splints are used in different medical institutions and hospitals for management of hand fractures. Our offered wrist splints are manufactured by skilled professionals using optimum quality basic material and advanced technology as per the set norms of market. As well, these wrist splints can be availed in v
Nathan Goodyear

An integrative analysis reveals coordinated reprogramming of the epigenome and the tran... - 0 views

  • contribution to the training response of the epigenome as a mediator between genes and environment
  • Differential DNA methylation was predominantly observed in enhancers, gene bodies and intergenic regions and less in CpG islands or promoters
  • highly consistent and associated modifications in methylation and expression, concordant with observed health-enhancing phenotypic adaptations, are induced by a physiological stimulus
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  • The health benefits following exercise training are elicited by gene expression changes in skeletal muscle, which are fundamental to the remodeling process
  • there is increasing evidence that more short-term environmental factors can influence DNA methylation
  • dietary factors have the potency to alter the degree of DNA methylation in different tissues, 9,10 including skeletal muscle
  • In one study, a single bout of endurance-type exercise was shown to affect methylation at a few promoter CpG sites
  • In the context of diabetes, exercise training has been shown to affect genome-wide methylation pattern in skeletal muscle,13 as well as in adipose tissue.
  • physiological stressors can indeed affect DNA methylation
  • training intervention reshapes the epigenome and induces significant changes in DNA methylation
  • the findings from this tightly controlled human study strongly suggest that the regulation and maintenance of exercise training adaptation is to a large degree associated to epigenetic changes, especially in regulatory enhancer regions
  • Endurance training [after training (T2) vs. before training (T1)] induced significant (false discovery rate, FDR< 0.05) methylation changes at 4919 sites across the genome in the trained leg
  • identified 4076 differentially expressed genes
  • a complementary approach revealed that over 600 CpG sites correlated to the increase in citrate synthase activity, an objective measure of training response (Figure S4 and Dataset S14). This might imply that some of these sites could influence the degree of training response.
  • As expected by a physiological environmental trigger on adult tissue, the observed effect size on DNA methylation was small in comparison to disease states such as cancer
  • a preferential localization outside of CpG Islands/Shelves/Shores
  • endurance training especially influences enhancers
  • negative correlation was more prominent for probes in promoter/5′UTR/1st exon regions, while gene bodies had a stronger peak of positive correlation
  • The significant changes in DNA methylation, that primarily occurred in enhancer regions, were to a large extent associated with relevant changes in gene expression
  • The main findings of this study were that 3 months of endurance training in healthy human volunteers induced significant methylation changes at almost 5000 sites across the genome and significant differential expression of approximately 4000 genes
  • DMPs that increased in methylation were mainly associated to structural remodeling of the muscle and glucose metabolism, while the DMPs with decreased methylation were associated to inflammatory/immunological processes and transcriptional regulation
  • This suggests that the changes in methylation seen with training were not a random effect across the genome but rather a controlled process that likely contributes to skeletal muscle adaptation to endurance training
  • Correlation of the changes in DNA methylation to the changes in gene expression showed that the majority of significant methylation/expression pairs were found in the groups representing either increases in expression with a concomitant decrease in methylation or vice versa
  • The fraction of genes showing both significant decrease in methylation and upregulation was 7.5% of the DEGs or 2.3% of all genes detected in muscle tissue with at least one measured DNA methylation position. Correspondingly, 7.0% of the DEGs or 2.1% of all genes showed both significant increase in methylation and downregulation
  • we show that DNA methylation changes are associated to gene expression changes in roughly 20% of unique genes that significantly changed with training
  • Examples of structural genes include COL4A1, COL4A2 and LAMA4. These genes have also been identified as important for differences in responsiveness to endurance training
  • methylation status could be part of the mechanism behind variable training response
  • Among the metabolic genes, MDH1 catalyzes the reversible oxidation of malate to oxaloacetate, utilizing the NAD/NADH cofactor system in the citric acid cycle and NDUFA8 plays an important role in transferring electrons from NADH to the respiratory chain
  • PPP1R12A,
  • In the present study, methylation predominantly changed in enhancer regions with enrichment for binding motifs for different transcription factors suggesting that enhancer methylation may be highly relevant also in exercise biology
  • Of special interest in the biology of endurance training may be that MRFs, through binding to the PGC-1α core promoter, can regulate this well-studied co-factor for mitochondrial biogenesis
  • That endurance training led to an increased methylation in enhancer regions containing motifs for the MRFs and MEFs is somewhat counterintuitive since it should lead to the repression of the action of the above discussed transcription factors
  • decrease with training in this study, including CDCH15, MYH3, TNNT2, RYR1 and SH3GLB1
  • expression of MEF2A itself decreased with training
  • this study demonstrates that the transcriptional alterations in skeletal muscle in response to a long-term endurance exercise intervention are coupled to DNA methylation changes
  • We suggest that the training-induced coordinated epigenetic reprogramming mainly targets enhancer regions, thus contributing to differences in individual response to lifestyle interventions
  • a physiological health-enhancing stimulus can induce highly consistent modifications in DNA methylation that are associated to gene expression changes concordant with observed phenotypic adaptations
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    Exercise alters gene expression via methylation--the power of epigenetics.  Interestingly, the majority of the methylation was outside the CPG island regions.  This 3 month study found methylation of 5,000 sites across the genome resulting in altered expression of apps 4,000 genes.  The altered muscle changes of the endurance training was linked to DNA methylation changes.
Nathan Goodyear

Progesterone metabolites regulate induction, growth, and suppression of estrogen- and p... - 0 views

  • in vitro studies had shown that the progesterone metabolites, 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5αP) and 3α-dihydroprogesterone (3αHP), respectively, exhibit procancer and anticancer effects on receptor-negative human breast cell lines
  • Onset and growth of ER/PR-negative human breast cell tumors were significantly stimulated by 5αP and inhibited by 3αHP
  • When both hormones were applied simultaneously, the stimulatory effects of 5αP were abrogated by the inhibitory effects of 3αHP and vice versa
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  • Treatment with 3αHP subsequent to 5αP-induced tumor initiation resulted in suppression of further tumorigenesis and regression of existing tumors
  • Tumorigenesis of ER/PR-negative breast cells is significantly enhanced by 5αP and suppressed by 3αHP, the outcome depending on the relative concentrations of these two hormones in the microenvironment in the breast regions
  • The findings show that the production of 5αP greatly exceeds that of 3αHP in ER/PR-negative tumors and that treatment with 3αHP can effectively block tumorigenesis and cause existing tumors to regress
  • hypothesis that a high 3αHP-to-5αP concentration ratio in the microenvironment may foster normalcy in noncancerous breast regions.
  • a large proportion (about 30% to 60%) of breast tumors are ER and/or PR negative
  • about 90% of normal proliferating breast epithelial cells are receptor negative
  • Our previous in vitro studies had shown that breast tissues and cell lines readily convert progesterone to 5α-pregnanes, such as 5αP, and delta-4-pregnenes, such as 3αHP (Figure ​(Figure1),1), and that tumorous breast tissues [15] and tumorigenic breast cell lines [16] produce higher levels of 5αP and lower levels of 3αHP than do normal breast tissues and nontumorigenic cell lines
  • The progesterone metabolism studies suggested that increases in 5αP and decreases in 3αHP production accompany the shift toward breast cell neoplasia and tumorigenicity
  • In vitro studies on five different human breast cell lines showed that cell proliferation and detachment are significantly increased by 5αP and decreased by 3αHP
  • the prevailing theory of hormonal regulation of breast cancer, as well as hormone-based therapies, revolves around estrogen and/or progesterone and ER/PR-positive breast cells and tumors.
  • Not only do these "receptor-negative" breast cancers fail to benefit from current hormonal therapies, but they also generally exhibit more-aggressive biologic behaviors and poorer prognosis than the receptor-positive ones
  • The results of the studies reported here show for the first time that the progesterone metabolites, 5αP and 3αHP, act as hormones that regulate ER/PR-negative breast tumor formation, growth, and regression
  • The onset of the ER/PR-negative human breast cell tumors in mice was considerably accelerated, and the growth significantly stimulated, by just one or two applications of 5αP
  • In contrast, 3αHP retarded onset of tumor formation, suppressed tumor growth, and inhibited or regressed existing 5αP-induced tumors
  • When both hormones were administered simultaneously, the effects of one were abrogated by the effects of the other.
  • The 5αPR and 3αHPR (which are associated with the plasma membranes of both ER/PR-positive [19] and ER/PR-negative [29] cells) are distinct from each other and from known ER, PR, androgen, and corticosteroid receptors, and lack affinity for other steroids, such as progesterone, estrogen, androgens, corticosteroids, and other progesterone metabolites
  • Levels of 5αPR are upregulated by 5αP itself and estradiol, and downregulated by 3αHP in both ER/PR-positive and -negative cells
  • ndications are that 5αP acts via the surface receptor-linked mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; Erk1/2) pathway; 5αP significantly stimulates activation of Erk1/2 [30], increases the Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio [18] and actin depolymerization [31], and decreases expression of actin and adhesion plaque-associated vinculin [31], resulting in decreased apoptosis and increased mitosis and cell detachment
  • 3αHP appears to suppress protein kinase C (PKC), phospholipase C (PLC), Ca2+ mobilization (unpublished observations), and the Bcl-2/Bax expression ratio [18], and increases expression of the cell-cycle inhibitor p21 [18], resulting in increased apoptosis and decreased proliferation and detachment of breast cell lines.
  • serum from mice with tumors had significantly more 5αP than 3αHP
  • the tumors, which on average had about threefold higher concentrations of 5αP than the respective sera, and >10-fold higher 5αP than 3αHP levels
  • Previous in vitro metabolism studies showed that human breast tumor tissues convert significantly more progesterone to 5α-pregnanes like 5αP and less to 4-pregnenes like 3αHP than do paired normal (nontumorous) tissues
  • Similar differences in progesterone metabolism and enzyme gene expressions were observed between tumorigenic and nontumorigenic breast cell lines
  • breast carcinomas are able to synthesize progesterone
  • The current findings, along with the previous in vitro studies, suggest that the relative concentrations of 5αP and 3αHP in the breast microenvironment constitute important autocrine/paracrine determinants not only for tumorigenesis but also for potential regression of tumors and the maintenance of normalcy of ER/PR-negative breast cells/tissues.
  • Evidence presented here shows that a high concentration of 5αP, relative to 3αHP in the microenvironment, promotes initiation and growth of tumors, whereas a higher concentration of 3αHP, relative to 5αP, suppresses tumorigenesis and promotes normalcy
  • 5α-reductase and 5αPR levels are upregulated by 5αP
  • in the 3αHP-treated mice, the elevated 3αHP levels, relative to 5αP, in the microenvironment could have opposed progression to xenograft neoplasia by its inherent anticancer actions and the suppression of 5αP synthesis and 5αPR expression
  • the opposing actions of the progesterone metabolites also appear to exert some control over the estrogen-regulated effects on breast cancer by their ability to modulate ER numbers in ER-positive cells
  • because both ER/PR-negative and ER/PR-positive, as well as normal and tumorigenic human breast cell lines, have been shown to respond to 5αP and 3αHP in vitro, it is suggested that these endogenously produced progesterone metabolites may also play regulatory hormonal roles in ER/PR-positive breast cancers, as well as in the maintenance of normalcy in nontumorous breast tissues.
  • The in vivo data provide further evidence that progesterone metabolites, such as 5αP and 3αHP, deserve to be considered as active hormones in their own right, rather than inactive waste products
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    Progesterone metabolites and breast cancer
Nathan Goodyear

Testosterone Deficiency, Cardiac Health, and Older Men - 0 views

  • Studies have shown pharmacological doses of testosterone to relax coronary arteries when injected intraluminally [39] and to produce modest but consistent improvement in exercise-induced angina and reverse associated ECG changes [40]. The mechanism of action is via blockade of calcium channels with effect of similar magnitude to nifedipine
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      This directly refutes the recent studies (3) that Testosterone therapy increases cardiovascular events.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Testosterone acts as a calcium channel blocker inducing vasodilation.
  • men with chronic stable angina pectoris, the ischaemic threshold increased after 4 weeks of TRT and a recent study demonstrates improvement continuing beyond 12 months [
  • Exercise capacity in men with chronic heart failure increased after 12 weeks
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  • Studies have shown an inverse relationship between serum testosterone and fasting blood glucose and insulin levels
  • Medications such as chronic analgesics, anticonvulsants, 5ARIs, and androgen ablation therapy are associated with increased risk of testosterone deficiency and insulin resistance
  • Women with T2D or metabolic syndrome characteristically have low SHBG and high free testosterone
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      This stands in polar opposite of that with men.
  • Hypogonadism is a common feature of the metabolic syndrome
  • The precise interaction between insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and hypogonadism is, as yet, unclear but the important mechanisms are through increased aromatase production, raised leptin levels, and increase in inflammatory kinins
  • levels of testosterone are reduced in proportion to degree of obesity
  • Men should be encouraged to combine aerobic exercise with strength training. As muscle increases, glucose will be burned more efficiently and insulin levels will fall. A minimum of 30 minutes exercise three times weekly should be advised
  • Testosterone increases levels of fast-twitch muscle fibres
  • By increasing testosterone, levels of type 2 fibres increase and glucose burning improves
  • Weight loss will increase levels of testosterone
  • studies now clearly show that low testosterone leads to visceral obesity and metabolic syndrome and is also a consequence of obesity
  • In the case of MMAS [43], a baseline total testosterone of less than 10.4 nmol/L was associated with a greater than 4-fold incidence of type 2 diabetes over the next 9 years
  • There is high level evidence that TRT improves insulin resistance
  • Low testosterone predicts increased mortality and testosterone therapy improves survival in 587 men with type 2 diabetes
  • A similar retrospective US study involved 1031 men with 372 on TRT. The cumulative mortality was 21% in the untreated group versus 10% ( ) in the treated group with the greatest effect in younger men and those with type 2 diabetes
  • the presence of ED has been shown to be an independent risk factor, particularly in hypogonadal men, increasing the risk of cardiac events by over 50%
  • A recent online publication on ischaemic heart disease mortality in men concluded optimal androgen levels are a biomarker for survival
  • inverse associations between low TT or FT (Table 2) and the severity of CAD
  • A recent 10 year study from Western Australia involving 3690 men followed up from 2001–2010 concluded that TT and FT levels in the normal range were associated with decreased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, for the first time suggesting that both low and DHT are associated with all-cause mortality and higher levels of DHT reduced cardiovascular risk
  • TDS is associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality
  • The effect of treatment with TRT reduced the mortality rate of treated cohort (8.4%) to that of the eugonadal group whereas the mortality for the untreated remained high at 19.2%
  • hypogonadal men had slightly increased triglycerides and HDL
  • Men with angiographically proven CAD (coronary artery disease) have significantly lower testosterone levels [29] compared to controls ( ) and there was a significant inverse relationship between the degree of CAD and TT (total testosterone) levels
  • TRT has also been shown to reduce fibrinogen to levels similar to fibrates
  • men treated with long acting testosterone showed highly significant reductions in TC, LDL, and triglycerides with increase in HDL, associated with significant reduction in weight, BMI, and visceral fat
  • Low androgen levels are associated with an increase in inflammatory markers
  • In the Moscow study, C-reactive protein was reduced by TRT at 30 weeks versus placebo
  • In some studies, a decline in diastolic blood pressure has been observed, after 3–9 months [24, 26] and in systolic blood pressure
  • A decline was noted in IL6 and TNF-alpha
  • No studies to date show an increase in LUTS/BPH symptoms with higher serum testosterone levels
  • TRT has been shown to upregulate PDE5 [65] and enhance the effect of PDE5Is (now an accepted therapy for both ED and LUTS), it no longer seems logical to advice avoidance of TRT in men with mild to moderate BPH.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      What about just starting with normalization of Testosterone levels first.
  • Several meta-analyses have failed to show a link between TRT and development of prostate cancer [66] but some studies have shown a tendency for more aggressive prostate cancer in men with low testosterone
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      And if one would have looked at their estrogen levels, I guarantee they would have been found to be elevated.
  • low bioavailable testosterone and high SHBG were associated with a 4.9- and 3.2-fold risk of positive biopsy
  • Current EAU, ISSAM, and BSSM guidance [1, 2] is that there is “no evidence TRT is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer or activation of subclinical cancer.”
  • Men with prostate cancer, treated with androgen deprivation, develop an increase of fat mass with an altered lipid profile
  • Erectile dysfunction is an established marker for future cardiovascular risk and the major presenting symptom leading to a diagnosis of low testosterone
wheelchairindia9

Karma Vip 515 - 0 views

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    Wheelchair with comfortble reclining back headrest. This wheelchair allows the user to obtain a more comfortable position, equally for those who are unable to sit at 90 degrees, but need to lie back. Options include elevating legrests and cushioning. This type of Wheelchair is a superb light weight aluminium total care chair with all the actions one would wish. All fully adjustable, tilt in space, reclining back, multi positional headrest,elevating legrests and full pressure cushioning. The reclining deluxe manual wheelchair. This wheelchair has all the features one would need in a wheelchair, fully adjustable arms, legrests, reclining back and pop off wheels. To remove the wheels simply press the button in the centre of the wheel and slide them off. Ideal for those who need to recline in the wheelchair as the back rest on this wheelchair can be adjusted to any position. With cushions, elevating legrests and other options, this wheelchair can be configured to meet most needs. This chair does not have tilt in space mechanism or pressure care cushioning, for this must look to the tilt in space chair. Comfort and positioning tilt-in-space wheelchair which is durable, modern looking and comfortable. It offers adjustable seat height and depth, back height, length adjustable armpads and infinite recline and tilt. The multifunction tilt in space wheelchair focuses heavily on the need of each individual user which is why it has many adjustments in one frame to make sure it can alter to cater individual requirements. One of the main features of this chair is its tilt in space feature, which allows a step less adjustment of the backrest and the seat angle. This is easily operated from the push handle and can be quickly adjusted when needed. The design of the backrest and seating on the wheelchair helps ensure comfort and support for the user. Wheelchair comes with elevating leg rests fitted as standard which again are step less and easily adjusted. There is also the o
Nathan Goodyear

Intravenous Fluid Use in Athletes - 0 views

  • Treatment of exercise-associated hyponatremia with hypertonic IV infusion to correct plasma sodium levels is also a standard and accepted use of IV fluid infusions
  • athletes who present for medical care with hypernatremia who cannot tolerate oral fluids can benefit from IV fluids
  • Vaporization of sweat accounts for 80% of heat loss in hot, dry atmospheric conditions. This mechanism of water loss is the major contributor for exercise-associated dehydration
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  • The rate of water loss can be quantified through measurement of sweat rate
  • Pre- and postexercise body weight measurements are the most common means to estimate overall water loss but are condition specific
  • It appears that 1% to 2% body weight loss is well tolerated by the exercising athlete
  • Dehydration, defined as greater than 2% loss of body weight, can negatively affect performance
  • In highly trained endurance athletes, plasma volume and sodium serum concentration were preserved despite a 5% body weight loss
  • In Ironman triathletes, dehydration to 5% body weight loss did not correlate with occurrence of medical complications
  • hydration should begin hours prior to exercise, especially if known deficits are present, and fluids should be consumed at a slow, steady rate, with 5 to 7 mL/kg taken 4 hours prior to exercise
  • Sodium concentration did not produce significant changes in the rate of absorption but was primarily dependent on carbohydrate concentration
  • Replacing 150% of body weight loss over 60 minutes has been tolerated without complications
  • IV treatment of severe dehydration (>7% body weight loss), exertional heat illness, nausea, emesis, or diarrhea, and in those who cannot ingest oral fluids for other reasons, is clinically indicated
  • A recent survey of the National Football League teams revealed that 75% (24 of 32) of the teams utilized IV infusion of fluids for prehydration in at least some otherwise healthy individuals
  • In the National Football League, an average of 1.5 L of normal saline was administered approximately 2.5 hours prior to competition
  • after 2 hours of exercise, the rectal temperature was 0.6° higher in the group not receiving IV infusion. Also, stroke volume and cardiac output were 11% to 16% lower in the control group versus the IV infusion group.
  • Recent evidence suggests the etiology of EAMC is related to muscle fatigue and neuronal excitability
  • no correlation between hydration status or electrolyte concentrations with EAMC
  • there may be a subset of muscle cramping that is associated with a loss of both body fluid and sodium
  • Glycerol is the primary agent for oral hyperhydration
  • elevation of plasma volume by 200 to 300 mL via dextran infusion resulted in 15% increase in stroke volume, 4% increase in VO2 max, and an increase in the exercise time to fatigue
  • Neither the tonicity nor mode of hydration resulted in improved speed of rehydration, greater fluid retention, or improved performance
  • There are beneficial anecdotal reports of EAMC treatment in elite and professional-level athletes with IV hydration during the course of an event
  • Plasma volume was better restored during rehydration with IV fluids at preexercise and 5 minutes of exercise. At 15 minutes, there was no difference between IV and oral rehydration
  • More rapid restoration of plasma volume was accomplished in the IV treatment group with no advantages over oral rehydration in physiological strain, heat tolerance, ratings of perceived effort, or thermal sensations
  • No difference was found in exercise time to exhaustion. IV and oral rehydration methods were equally effective. Heart rates were statistically higher in the oral rehydration group through 75 minutes of exercise, and there were higher increases in norepinephrine plasma concentrations
  • No significant differences between the groups were found for time to recovery, number of days with pain, number of days with stiffness, sleep disturbance, fatigue, rectal temperature, and loss of appetite
  • The current data suggest that IV rehydration is faster than oral
  • There may be physiological benefits of decreased heart rate and norepinephrine in athletes rehydrated via IV route
  • Postexercise blood 1 hour and 24 hours showed no differences in circulating myoglobin or creatine kinase
  • The use of IV fluid may be beneficial for a subset of fluid sensitive athletes
  • this should be reserved for high-level athletes with strong histories of symptoms in well-monitored settings.
  • Volume expanders may also be beneficial for some athletes
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    to be read
Nathan Goodyear

How We Read Oncologic FDG PET/CT | Cancer Imaging | Full Text - 0 views

  • In early PET literature focusing on analysis of solitary pulmonary nodules, some researchers defined malignancy based on a SUVmax threshold of greater than 2.5
  • We contend that SUV analysis has virtually no role in this setting.
  • tumours grow as spheres, whereas inflammatory processes are typically linear
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  • Far more important than the SUVmax is the pattern rather than intensity of metabolic abnormality and the correlative CT findings
  • Descriptively, we define SUV < 5 as “low intensity”, 5–10 as “moderate”, 10–15 as “intense” and >15 as “very intense”
  • Evolving literature suggests that intensity of uptake is an independent prognostic factor and in some tumour subtypes superior to histopathologic characterisation.
  • aerobic glycolysis
  • Our practice of thresholding the grey and colour scale to liver as detailed above results in similar image intensity to a fixed upper SUV threshold of 8 to 10
  • The advantage of using the liver as a reference tissue is also aided by this organ having rather low variability in metabolic activity
  • When the liver is abnormal and cannot be used as a reference organ, we use the default SUV setting of an upper SUV threshold of 8
  • One of the most challenging aspects of oncologic FDG PET/CT review, however, is to recognise all the patterns of metabolic activity that are not malignant and which consequently confound interpretation
  • Many benign and inflammatory processes are also associated with high glycolytic activity
  • Future articles in the “How I Read” series will address the specific details of reading PET/CT in various cancers
  • The intensity of uptake in metastases usually parallels that in the primary site of disease
  • For example, discordant low-grade activity in an enlarged lymph node in the setting of intense uptake in the primary tumour suggests it is unlikely malignant and more likely inflammatory or reactive
  • By CT criteria the enlarged node is ‘pathologic’ but the discordantly low metabolic signature further characterises this is as non-malignant since such a node is not subject to partial volume effects and therefore the intensity of uptake should be similar to the primary site
  • The exception is when the lymph node is centrally necrotic as a small rim of viable tumour is subject to partial volume effects with expectant lower intensity of uptake; integrating the CT morphology is therefore critical to reaching an accurate interpretation
  • Small nodes that are visualised on PET are conversely much more likely to be metastatic as such nodes are subject to partial volume effects.
  • The exception to this rule is tumours with a propensity for tumour heterogeneity at different sites
  • The combination of FDG and a more specific tracer, which visualises the well-differentiated disease can be very useful to characterise this phenomenon
  • “metabolic signature”
  • For the majority of malignant processes, the intensity of metabolic abnormality correlates with degree of aggressiveness or proliferative rate.
  • a negative PET/CT study in a patient with biopsy proven malignancy would be considered false-negative
  • Warburg effect
  • There, however, are a significant minority of tumours that utilise substrates other glucose such as glutamine or fatty acids as a source of the carbon atoms required for growth and proliferation
  • This includes a subset of diffuse gastric adenocarcinomas, signet cell colonic adenocarcinomas and some sarcomas, particularly liposarcoma
  • There may be a role for other radiotracers such as fluorothymidine (FLT) or amino acid substrates in this setting.
  • Some tumours harbour mutations that result in defective aerobic mitochondrial energy metabolism, effectively simulating the Warburg effect
  • patients with hereditary paraganglioma and pheochromocytoma highlight this phenomenon
  • These have intense uptake on FDG PET/CT despite often having low proliferative rate.
  • Uterine fibroids, hepatic adenomas, fibroadenomas of the breast and desmoid tumours are benign or relatively benign lesions that can have quite high FDG-avidity.
  • Metabolic activity switches off rapidly following initiation of therapy
  • Common examples where patients have commenced active therapy but the referrer is requesting “staging” includes hormonal therapy (eg. tamoxifen) in breast cancer, oral capecitabine in colorectal cancer or high dose steroids in Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • It is therefore critical to perform PET staging before commencement of anti-tumour therapy
  • The potential advantage of routine diagnostic CT is improved anatomic localisation and definition
  • Without intravenous contrast, additional identification of typical oncologic complications such as pulmonary embolism or venous thrombosis cannot be identified
  • If the study is performed as an “interim” restaging study after commencement of therapy but before completion, in order to reach a valid or clinically useful conclusion findings must be interpreted in the context of known changes that occur at a specific timing and type of therapy
  • The most well studied use of interim PET is in Hodgkin’s lymphoma where repeat PET after two cycles of ABVD-chemotherapy provides powerful prognostic information and may improve outcomes by enabling early change of management
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    good read on the PET/CT scan reading.  They mention that tumors are spheres and inflammation is linear, yet inflammation coexists with cancer; hard to simply delineate these on simple terms. I do agree aon the metabolic signature of the PET/CT scan
Nathan Goodyear

Nutrition & Metabolism | Full text | Fructose, insulin resistance, and metabolic dyslip... - 0 views

  • For thousands of years humans consumed fructose amounting to 16–20 grams per day
  • daily consumptions amounting to 85–100 grams of fructose per day
  • Of key importance is the ability of fructose to by-pass the main regulatory step of glycolysis, the conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, controlled by phosphofructokinase
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  • Thus, while glucose metabolism is negatively regulated by phosphofructokinase, fructose can continuously enter the glycolytic pathway. Therefore, fructose can uncontrollably produce glucose, glycogen, lactate, and pyruvate, providing both the glycerol and acyl portions of acyl-glycerol molecules. These particular substrates, and the resultant excess energy flux due to unregulated fructose metabolism, will promote the over-production of TG (reviewed in [53]).
  • Glycemic excursions and insulin responses were reduced by 66% and 65%, respectively, in the fructose-consuming subjects
  • reduction in circulating leptin both in the short and long-term as well as a 30% reduction in ghrelin (an orexigenic gastroenteric hormone) in the fructose group compared to the glucose group.
  • A prolonged elevation of TG was also seen in the high fructose subjects
  • Both fat and fructose consumption usually results in low leptin concentrations which, in turn, leads to overeating in populations consuming energy from these particular macronutrients
  • Chronic fructose consumption reduces adiponectin responses, contributing to insulin resistance
  • A definite relationship has also been found between metabolic syndrome and hyperhomocysteinemia
  • the liver takes up dietary fructose rapidly where it can be converted to glycerol-3-phosphate. This substrate favours esterification of unbound FFA to form the TG
  • Fructose stimulates TG production, but impairs removal, creating the known dyslipidemic profile
  • the effects of fructose in promoting TG synthesis are independent of insulinemia
  • Although fructose does not appear to acutely increase insulin levels, chronic exposure seems to indirectly cause hyperinsulinemia and obesity through other mechanisms. One proposed mechanism involves GLUT5
  • If FFA are not removed from tissues, as occurs in fructose fed insulin resistant models, there is an increased energy and FFA flux that leads to the increased secretion of TG
  • In these scenarios, where there is excess hepatic fatty acid uptake, synthesis and secretion, 'input' of fats in the liver exceed 'outputs', and hepatic steatosis occurs
  • Carbohydrate induced hypertriglycerolemia results from a combination of both TG overproduction, and inadequate TG clearance
  • fructose-induced metabolic dyslipidemia is usually accompanied by whole body insulin resistance [100] and reduced hepatic insulin sensitivity
  • Excess VLDL secretion has been shown to deliver increased fatty acids and TG to muscle and other tissues, further inducing insulin resistance
  • the metabolic effects of fructose occur through rapid utilization in the liver due to the bypassing of the regulatory phosphofructokinase step in glycolysis. This in turn causes activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase, and subsequent modifications favoring esterification of fatty acids, again leading to increased VLDL secretion
  • High fructose diets can have a hypertriglyceridemic and pro-oxidant effect
  • Oxidative stress has often been implicated in the pathology of insulin resistance induced by fructose feeding
  • Administration of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) has been shown to prevent these changes, and improve insulin sensitivity
  • LA treatment also prevents several deleterious effects of fructose feeding: the increases in cholesterol, TG, activity of lipogenic enzymes, and VLDL secretion
  • Fructose has also been implicated in reducing PPARα levels
  • PPARα is a ligand activated nuclear hormone receptor that is responsible for inducing mitochondrial and peroxisomal β-oxidation
  • decreased PPARα expression can result in reduced oxidation, leading to cellular lipid accumulation
  • fructose diets altered the structure and function of VLDL particles causing and increase in the TG: protein ratio
  • LDL particle size has been found to be inversely related to TG concentration
  • therefore the higher TG results in a smaller, denser, more atherogenic LDL particle, which contributes to the morbidity of the metabolic disorders associated with insulin resistance
  • High fructose, which stimulates VLDL secretion, may initiate the cycle that results in metabolic syndrome long before type 2 diabetes and obesity develop
  • A high flux of fructose to the liver, the main organ capable of metabolizing this simple carbohydrate, disturbs normal hepatic carbohydrate metabolism leading to two major consequences (Figure 2): perturbations in glucose metabolism and glucose uptake pathways, and a significantly enhanced rate of de novo lipogenesis and TG synthesis, driven by the high flux of glycerol and acyl portions of TG molecules coming from fructose catabolism
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    Fructose and metabolic syndrome.  Good discussion of the impact of high fructose intake and metabolic dysfunction.  This study also does a great job of highlighting the historical change of fructose intake.
Nathan Goodyear

PLOS ONE: Probiotic Microbes Sustain Youthful Serum Testosterone Levels and Testicular ... - 0 views

  • Studies in both humans and rodents, however, suggest that low testosterone is due to age-related lesions in testes rather than irregular luteinizing hormone metabolism
  • Various dietary factors and diet-induced obesity have been shown to increase the risk for late onset male hypogonadism and low testosterone production in both humans and mice
  • Testosterone deficiency and metabolic diseases such as obesity appear to inter-digitate in complex cause-and-effect relationships
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  • dietary supplementation of aged mice with the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus reuteri makes them appear to be younger than their matched untreated sibling mice
  • These results indicate that gut microbiota induce modulation of local gastrointestinal immunity resulting in systemic effects on the immune system which activate metabolic pathways that restore tissue homeostasis and overall health
  • all these studies we consistently observed that young and aged mice consuming purified L. reuteri organisms had particularly large testes and a dominant male behavior.
  • The testes of probiotic-fed aged mice were rescued from both seminiferous tubule atrophy and interstitial Leydig cell area reduction typical of the normal aging process. Preservation of testicular architecture despite advanced age or high-fat diet coincided with remarkably high levels of circulating testosterone. The beneficial effects of probiotic consumption were recapitulated by the depletion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Il-17.
  • feeding of L. reuteri consistently increased the gonadal weights, consumption of a non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) K12 organisms did not affect testicular weight
  • mice with dietary L. reuteri supplements were rescued from diet-induced obesity and had normal body weight and lean physique
  • Despite the comparable numbers of ST profiles, we determined that testes from L. reuteri-treated mice had increased ST cross-sectioned profiles
  • the probiotic organism induced prominent Leydig cell accumulations in the interstitial tissue between the ST's
  • The probiotic-associated increase of interstitial Leydig cell areas was sustained with advancing age at 7 (CD vs CD+LR, P = 0.0025; CD+E.coli vs CD+LR, P = 0.0251) and 12 months
  • mice eating L. reuteri had profoundly increased levels of circulating testosterone regardless of the type of diet they consumed
  • blocking pro-inflammatory Il-17 signaling entirely recapitulates the beneficial effects of probiotics
  • previous studies we found that dietary probiotics counteract obesity [19] and age-related integumentary pathology [18] at least in part by down-regulating systemic pro-inflammatory IL-17A-dependent signaling
  • Testes histomorphometry and serum androgen concentration data were both suggestive of a probiotic-associated up-regulation of spermatogenesis in mice
  • Lactobacillus reuteri we discovered that aging male animals had larger testes compared to their age-matched controls
  • xamined testes of probiotic microbe-fed mice and found that they had less testicular atrophy coinciding with higher levels of circulating testosterone compared to their age-matched controls
  • Similar testicular health benefits were produced using systemic depletion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Il-17 alone, implicating a chronic inflammatory pathway in hypogonadism
  • One specific aspect of this paradigm is reciprocal activities of pro-inflammatory Th-17 and anti-inflammatory Treg cells
  • Feeding of L. reuteri organisms was previously shown to up-regulate IL-10 levels and reduce levels of IL-17 [19] serving to lower systemic inflammation
  • insufficient levels of IL-10 may increase the risk for autoimmunity, obesity, and other inflammatory disease syndromes
  • Westernized diets are also low in vitamin D, a nutrient that when present normally works together with IL-10 to protect against inflammatory disorders
  • Physiological feedback loops apparently exist between microbes, host hormones, and immunity
  • The hormone testosterone has been shown to act directly through androgen receptors on CD4+ cells to increase IL-10 expression
  • studies in both humans and rodents suggest that hypogonadism is due to age-related lesions in testes rather than irregular LH metabolism
  • We postulate that probiotic gut microbes function symbiotically with their mammalian hosts to impart immune homeostasis to maintain systemic and testicular health [34]–[35] despite suboptimal dietary conditions.
  • Dietary factors and diet-induced obesity were previously shown to increase risk for age-associated male hypogonadism, reduced spermatogenesis, and low testosterone production in both humans and mice [2]–[4], [8]–[11], [14]–[17], phenotypic features that in this study were inhibited by oral probiotic therapy absent milk sugars, extra protein, or vitamin D supplied in yogurt.
  • Similar beneficial effects of probiotic microbes on testosterone levels and sperm indices were reported in male mice that had been simultaneously supplemented with selenium
  • L. reuteri-associated prevention of age- and diet-related testicular atrophy correlates with increased numbers and size of Leydig cells
  • the initial changes of testicular atrophy begin to occur in mice from the age of 6 moths onwards [7] and indicates that the trophic effect of L. reuteri on Leydig cells is a key event which precedes and prevents age-related changes in the testes of mice. This effect is reminiscent of earlier studies describing Leydig cell hyperplasia and/or hypertrophy in the mouse and the rat testis that were achievable by the administration of gonadotropins, including human chorionic gonadotropin, FSH and LH
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    Fascinating study on how the addition of Lactobacillus reuteri increased Testicular size, prevented testicular atrophy, increased serum Testosterone production and protected against diet-induced/obesity-induced hypogonadism.  This was a mouse model
wheelchairindia9

Cp Child Wheelchair - 0 views

  •  
    young children have a different set of needs than adults. Aesthetically, devices designed for kids are often sleek and colorful, and functionally, they are typically lightweight and adjustable. As any parent knows, young people don't stay the same size for long and since a wheelchair is a major purchase -- don't want a simple growth spurt to render it useless. Wheelchair category offers models that feature seat width and depth adjustability, elevating legrests, and other versatile features. As a weight-bearing activity is critical to proper physical and mental function-which is why children with cerebral palsy, who may sit for stretches in a wheelchair and typically are unable to stand on their own, can benefit greatly from pediatric standers as part of a comprehensive pediatric rehabilitation program. Pediatric standers are offered in passive, active and mobile formats: Passive standers stay in one place and feature a support surface, active standers allow reciprocal movement of the extremities while in a standing position, and mobile standers enable users to self-propel. Cerebral Palsy Wheelchair: Cerebral Palsy Wheelchair Description: The model designed for cerebral palsy child only. Ultra light weight aluminium alloy frame. Seat Width 38 cms (15"). Net Weight: 18.5 kgs. Epoxy powder coated frame. Detachable arm rest & foot rest provided. Elevated and swinging foot rest. Elevated foot rest provided to elevate leg angle. Height adjustable and detachable head rest. Hydraulic reclining high back for a comfortable posture. Hydraulic adjustable seat angle. Detachable back and seat pad. Extra cushion upholstery provided to under arm, head & calg Foldable. Lever and paddle brakes provided. Safety belt provided. Maintenance free rear solid wheels. Cloth look like water proof upholstery. Anti wheels for better safety and stability. Extra cushion upholstery provided to under arm, head & leg. Folding action. Lever and paddle brakes provide
Nathan Goodyear

Oncotarget | NADH autofluorescence, a new metabolic biomarker for cancer stem cells: Id... - 0 views

  • Vitamin C was ~10 times more potent than 2-DG for the targeting of CSCs
  • Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are thought to be the root cause of chemotherapy-resistance and radio-resistance
  • ultimately leading to treatment failure in patients with advanced disease [1-3]. They have been directly implicated mechanistically in tumor recurrence and metastasis, resulting in poor patient survival
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  • mitochondrial biogenesis may be a key driver of the CSC phenotype
  • Our results indicate that increased mitochondrial oxidative stress and high NADH levels are both key characteristics of the CSC metabolic phenotype
  • high levels of NAD(P)H auto-fluorescence are known to be a surrogate marker for mitochondrial “power”, high OXPHOS capacity and increased ATP production
  • CSCs may be strictly dependent on NAD(P)H to maintain their enhanced mitochondrial function
  • an intact NAD+ salvage pathway is strictly required for mammosphere formation, supporting our results using NAD(P)H auto-fluorescence, which enriched CSC activity by more than 5-fold.
  • Since glycolysis is especially critical for maintaining the TCA cycle, OXPHOS and overall mitochondrial function, we next assessed the effects of known glycolytic inhibitors
  • we show that two other natural products that function as effective glycolysis inhibitors, also inhibited mammosphere formation. More specifically, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), which induces oxidative stress and inhibits the activity of GAPDH (a key glycolytic enzyme) [17], also inhibited mammosphere formation, with an IC-50 of 1 mM (Figure 7B). Therefore, vitamin C was ~10 times more potent than 2-DG at targeting CSC propagation
  • silibinin (the major active constituent of silymarin, an extract of milk thistle seeds) [18], which specifically functions as an inhibitor of glucose uptake, blocked mammosphere formation, with an IC-50 between 200 and 400 µM
  • caffeic acid phenyl ester (CAPE), a key component of honey-bee propolis, has potent anti-cancer properties
  • Propolis has a strong history of medicinal use, dating back more than 2,000 years
  • Because of it aromatic ring structure (Figure 8), we speculated that CAPE might function as a potent inhibitor of oxidative mitochondrial metabolism
  • CAPE quantitatively inhibits the mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and, in turn, induces the onset of aerobic glycolysis (ECAR)
  • CAPE shows a clear selectivity for targeting CSCs and adherent cancer cells, relative to normal fibroblasts.
  • CAPE functions as a “natural” mitochondrial OXPHOS inhibitor, that preferentially targets the CSC sub-population. This could explain CAPE’s known anti-cancer properties
  • Our data directly shows that a small fraction of the total cell population, characterized by increased PGC1α activity, high mitochondrial ROS/H2O2 and high NADH levels, has the ability to survive and grow under anchorage-independent conditions, driving mammosphere formation
  • We highlight the utility of certain natural products, such as Silibinin, Vitamin C and CAPE, that could be used to therapeutically target CSCs. Silibinin is the major active component of silymarin, which is an extract prepared from milk thistle seeds.
  • high NADH is a property that is conserved between normal and cancerous stem cells
  • Previous studies have also shown that when non-CSCs and CSCs are both fed mitochondrial fuels (such as L-lactate or ketone bodies), that CSCs quantitatively produce more NADH in response to this stimulus
  • CSCs may be strictly dependent on NADH to maintain their enhanced mitochondrial function
  • The Noble Prize winner, Linus Pauling, was among the first to describe and clinically test the efficacy of Vitamin C, as a relatively non-toxic anti-cancer agent
  • Vitamin C has two mechanisms of action. First, it is a potent pro-oxidant, that actively depletes the reduced glutathione pool, leading to cellular oxidative stress and apoptosis in cancer cells. Moreover, it also behaves as an inhibitor of glycolysis, by targeting the activity of GAPDH, a key glycolytic enzyme.
  • Here, we show that Vitamin C can also be used to target the CSC population, as it is an inhibitor of energy metabolism that feeds into the mitochondrial TCA cycle and OXPHOS
  • Vitamin C may prove to be promising agent for new clinical trials, aimed at testing its ability to reduce CSC activity in cancer patients, as an add-on to more conventional therapies, to prevent tumor recurrence, further disease progression and metastasis
  • Interestingly, a breast cancer based clinical study has already shown that the use of Vitamin C, concurrent with or within 6 months of chemotherapy, significantly reduces both tumor recurrence and patient mortality
  • CAPE quantitatively reduces mitochondrial oxygen consumption (OCR), while inducing a reactive increase in glycolysis (ECAR). As such, it potently inhibits mammosphere formation with an IC-50 of ~2.5 µM. Similarly, it also significantly inhibits cell migration
  • we also demonstrate that 7 different inhibitors of key energetic pathways can be used to effectively block CSC propagation, including three natural products (silibinin, ascorbic acid and CAPE). Future studies will be necessary to test their potential for clinical benefit in cancer patients.
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    The future of cancer therapy is cancer stem cells.  Study finds that Vitamin C, silymarin, and bee propolis blocks mitochondrial energy pathways in cancer stem cells.  Vitamin C is a known glycolytic inhbitor. Vitamin C was found to inhibit glycolysis via GAPDH targeting to inhibit the energy pathways of the mitochondria in CSCs.  The authors propse that Vitamin C can be used as add on therapies for conventional therapies to specifically attack the CSCs and their contribution to recrurence, treatment resistance, and metastasis potential all in addition to the ability of vitamin C to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy.
Nathan Goodyear

Ibuprofen alters human testicular physiology to produce a state of compensated hypogona... - 0 views

  • The levels of LH in the ibuprofen group had increased by 23% after 14 d of administration
  • This increase was even more pronounced at 44 d, at 33%
  • We found an 18% decrease (P = 0.056) in the ibuprofen group compared with the placebo group after 14 d (Fig. 1A) and a 23% decrease (P = 0.02) after 44 d (Fig. 1C). Taken together, these in vivo data suggest that ibuprofen induced a state of compensated hypogonadism during the trial, which occurred as early as 14 d and was maintained until the end of the trial at 44 d
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  • We first investigated testosterone production after 24 and 48 h of ibuprofen exposure to assess its effects on Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Inhibition of testosterone levels was significant and dose-dependent (β = −0.405, P = 0.01 at 24 h and β = −0.664, P < 0.0001 at 48 h) (Fig. 2A) and was augmented over time
  • The AMH data show that the hypogonadism affected not only Leydig cells but also Sertoli cells and also occurred as early as 14 d of administration
  • Sertoli cell activity showed that AMH levels decreased significantly with ibuprofen administration, by 9% (P = 0.02) after 14 d (Fig. 1B) and by 7% (P = 0.05) after 44 d compared with the placebo group
  • Examination of the effect of ibuprofen exposure on both the ∆4 and ∆5 steroid pathways (Fig. 2B) showed that it generally inhibited all steroids from pregnenolone down to testosterone and 17β-estradiol; the production of each steroid measured decreased at doses of 10−5–10−4 M. Under control conditions, production of androstenediol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) was below the limit of detection except in one experiment with DHEA
  • Measuring the mRNA expression of genes involved in steroidogenesis in vitro showed that ibuprofen had a profound inhibitory effect on the expression of these genes (Fig. 3 B–D), consistent with that seen above in our ex vivo organ model. Taken together, these data examining effects on the endocrine cells confirm that ibuprofen-induced changes in the transcriptional machinery were the likely reason for the inhibition of steroidogenesis.
  • Suppression of gene expression concerned the initial conversion of cholesterol to the final testosterone synthesis. Hence, expression of genes involved in cholesterol transport to the Leydig cell mitochondria was impaired
  • A previous study reported androsterone levels decreased by 63% among men receiving 400 mg of ibuprofen every 6 h for 4 wk
  • We next examined the gene expression involved in testicular steroidogenesis ex vivo and found that levels of expression of every gene that we studied except CYP19A1 decreased after exposure for 48 h compared with controls
  • the changes in gene expression indicate that the transcriptional machinery behind the endocrine action of Leydig cells was most likely impaired by ibuprofen exposure.
  • Together, these data show that ibuprofen also directly impairs Sertoli cell function ex vivo by inhibiting transcription
  • ibuprofen use in men led to (i) elevation of LH; (ii) a decreased testosterone/LH ratio and, to a lesser degree, a decreased inhibin B/FSH ratio; and (iii) a reduction in the levels of the Sertoli cell hormone AMH
  • The decrease in the free testosterone/LH ratio resulted primarily from the increased LH levels, revealing that testicular responsiveness to gonadotropins likely declined during the ibuprofen exposure. Our data from the ex vivo experiments support this notion, indicating that the observed elevation in LH resulted from ibuprofen’s direct antiandrogenic action
  • AMH levels were consistently suppressed by ibuprofen both in vivo and ex vivo, indicating that this hormone is uncoupled from gonadotropins in adult men. The ibuprofen suppression of AMH further demonstrated that the analgesic targeted not only the Leydig cells but also the Sertoli cells, a feature encountered not only in the human adult testis but also in the fetal testis
  • ibuprofen displayed broad transcription-repression abilities involving steroidogenesis, peptide hormones, and prostaglandin synthesis
  • a chemical compound, through its effects on the signaling compounds, can result in changes in the testis at gene level, resulting in perturbations at higher physiological levels in the adult human
  • The analgesics acetaminophen/paracetamol and ibuprofen have previously been shown to inhibit the postexercise response in muscles by repressing transcription
  • Previous ex vivo studies on adult testis have indeed pointed to an antiandrogenicity, only on Leydig cells, of phthalates (41), aspirin, indomethacin (42), and bisphenol A (BPA) and its analogs
  • ibuprofen’s effects were not restricted to Leydig and Sertoli cells, as data showed that the expression of genes in peritubular cells was also affected
  • short-term exposure
  • In the clinical setting, compromised Leydig cell function resulting in increased insensitivity to LH is defined as compensated hypogonadism (4), an entity associated with all-cause mortality
  • compensated hypogonadic men present with an increased likelihood of reproductive, cognitive, and physical symptoms
  • an inverse relationship was recently reported between endurance exercise training and male sexual libido
  • AMH concentrations are lower in seminal plasma from patients with azoospermia than from men with normal sperm levels
  • inhibin B is a key clinical marker of reproductive health (32). The function of AMH, also secreted by Sertoli cells, and its regulation through FSH remain unclear in men
  • the striking dual effect of ibuprofen observed here on both Leydig and Sertoli cells makes this NSAID the chemical compound, of all the chemical classes considered, with the broadest endocrine-disturbing properties identified so far in men.
  • after administration of 600 mg of ibuprofen to healthy volunteers
  • 14 d or at the last day of administration at 44 d
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    ibuprofen alters genetic expression that results in decreased Testosterone production.
wheelchairindia9

Karma 8020 Wheelchair - 0 views

  •  
    Heavy duty wheelchair can either be manually-operated or motorized, each with its own pros and cons. A manual heavy-duty wheelchair gives full control of motion to the user, but the added weight from the reinforcements makes pushing or propelling the wheelchair much harder than normal. A motorized heavy duty wheelchair offers a solution to this dilemma, but is often more expensive and harder to maintain than a manual wheelchair. Some designs offer a combination of both, with a small motor assisting those pushing the wheelchair. The proper choice between types of Heavy Duty wheelchair depends largely on the user's expected level of activity. Heavy duty wheelchairs typically have larger seats than conventional wheelchairs. The frames of these wheelchairs can be made from several different reinforced metals, although a titanium wheelchair is often the most popular choice. The wheels themselves are made of thicker rubber than normal, preventing any possible failure due to the greater amount of weight supported. Most makes of heavy duty wheelchairs fold like regular wheelchairs, making storage relatively easy despite the wheelchair increased size. Heavy Duty Wheelchair specialy design for disabled and handicapped persons. They are two types of Heavy Duty Wheelchair for handicapped and disability product like- Karma 8020 X Heavy Duty Wheelchair Karma 8520 Heavy Duty Wheelchair Karma 8020 X Heavy Duty Wheelchair: It comes with detachable swing away footrests. The wheel chair has flip-back armrests. It comes with centre of gravity adjustment. The wheel chair has wide profile casters. Seat Size 20'' inch & 22'' inch Total Weight 17 K.G. Designed for maximum strength & weight capacity for people over 250 lbs. These end to be heavier and wider. This heavy duty bariatric wheelchair has seat dimensions of 24 inches wide by 18 inches deep to accommodate a weight capacity of up to 400 lbs. This wheelchair is dual axle, which means that the floor to seat heigh
Nathan Goodyear

Lowered testosterone in male obesity: Mechanisms, morbidity and management Tang Fui MN,... - 0 views

  • The number of overweight people is expected to increase from 937 million in 2005 to 1.35 billion in 2030
  • Similarly the number of obese people is projected to increase from 396 million in 2005 to 573 million in 2030
  • By 2030, China alone is predicted to have more overweight men and women than the traditional market economies combined
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  • diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), mechanistically implicated in this differential storage, [10] is regulated by dihydrotestosterone, [11] suggesting a potential role for androgens to influence the genetic predisposition to either the MHO or MONW phenotype.
  • bariatric surgery achieves 10%-30% long-term weight loss in controlled studies
  • The fact that obese men have lower testosterone compared to lean men has been recognized for more than 30 years
  • Reductions in testosterone levels correlate with the severity of obesity and men
  • epidemiological data suggest that the single most powerful predictor of low testosterone is obesity, and that obesity is a major contributor of the age-associated decline in testosterone levels.
  • healthy ageing by itself is uncommonly associated with marked reductions in testosterone levels
  • obesity blunts this LH rise, obesity leads to hypothalamic-pituitary suppression irrespective of age which cannot be compensated for by physiological mechanisms
  • Reductions in total testosterone levels are largely a consequence of reductions in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) due to obesity-associated hyperinsulinemia
  • although controversial, measurement of free testosterone levels may provide a more accurate assessment of androgen status than the (usually preferred) measurement of total testosterone in situations where SHBG levels are outside the reference range
  • SHBG increases with age
  • marked obesity however is associated with an unequivocal reduction of free testosterone levels, where LH and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are usually low or inappropriately normal, suggesting that the dominant suppression occurs at the hypothalamic-pituitary level
  • adipose tissue, especially when in the inflamed, insulin-resistant state, expresses aromatase which converts testosterone to estradiol (E 2 ). Adipose E 2 in turn may feedback negatively to decrease pituitary gonadotropin secretion
  • diabetic obesity is associated with decreases in circulatory E 2
  • In addition to E 2 , increased visceral fat also releases increased amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, insulin and leptin; all of which may inhibit the activity of the HPT axis at multiple levels
  • In the prospective Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS), moving from a non-obese to an obese state resulted in a decline of testosterone levels
  • weight loss, whether by diet or surgery, increases testosterone levels proportional to the amount of weight lost
  • fat is androgen-responsive
  • low testosterone may augment the effects of a hypercaloric diet
  • In human male ex vivo adipose tissue, testosterone decreased adipocyte differentiation by 50%.
  • Testosterone enhances catecholamine-induced lipolysis in vitro and reduces lipoprotein lipase activity and triglyceride uptake in human abdominal adipose tissue in vivo
  • in men with prostate cancer receiving 12 months of androgen deprivation therapy, fat mass increased by 3.4 kg and abdominal VAT by 22%, with the majority of these changes established within 6 months
  • severe sex steroid deficiency can increase fat mass rapidly
  • bidirectional relationship between testosterone and obesity
  • increasing body fat suppresses the HPT axis by multiple mechanisms [30] via increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, insulin resistance and diabetes; [19],[44] while on the other hand low testosterone promotes further accumulation of total and visceral fat mass, thereby exacerbating the gonadotropin inhibition
  • androgens may play a more significant role in VAT than SAT
  • men undergoing androgen depletion for prostate cancer show more marked increases in visceral compared to subcutaneous fat following treatment
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Interesting: low T increases VAT, yet T therapy does not reduce VAT, yet T therapy reduces SAT.
  • irisin, derived from muscle, induces brown fat-like properties in rodent white fat
  • androgens can act via the PPARg-pathway [37] which is implicated in the differentiation of precursor fat cells to the energy-consuming phenotype
  • low testosterone may compound the effect of increasing fat mass by making it more difficult for obese men to lose weight via exercise
  • pro-inflammatory cytokines released by adipose tissue may contribute to loss of muscle mass and function, leading to inactivity and further weight gain in a vicious cycle
  • Sarcopenic obesity, a phenotype recapitulated in men receiving ADT for prostate cancer, [55] may not only be associated with functional limitations, but also aggravate the metabolic risks of obesity;
  • observational evidence associating higher endogenous testosterone with reduced loss of muscle mass and crude measures of muscle function in men losing weight
  • genuine reactivation of the HPT axis in obese men requires more substantial weight-loss
  • A number of intervention studies have confirmed that both diet- and surgically-induced weight losses are associated with increased testosterone, with the rise in testosterone generally proportional to the amount of weight lost
  • men, regardless of obesity level, can benefit from the effect of weight loss.
  • inconsistent effect of testosterone on VAT
  •  
    to be read
Nathan Goodyear

Inborn-like errors of metabolism are determinants of breast cancer risk, clinical respo... - 0 views

  • We now recognize that human cancers evolve in an environment of metabolic stress. Rapidly proliferating tumor cells deprived of adequate oxygen, nutrients, hormones and growth factors up-regulate pathways that address these deficiencies to overcome hypoxia (HIF), vascular insufficiency (VEGF), growth factor deprivation (EGFR, HER2) and the loss of hormonal support (ER, PR, AR) all to enhance survival and proliferation
  • RAS, PI3K, TP53 and MYC
  • The results suggest that breast cancer could be preceded by systemic subclinical disturbances in glucose-insulin homeostasis characterized by mild, likely asymptomatic, IEM-like biochemical changes
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  • The process would include variable periods of hyperinsulinemia with the consequent systemic MYC activation of glycolysis, glutaminolysis, structural lipidogenesis and further exacerbation of hypoglycemia, the result of MYC's known role as an inhibitor of liver gluconeogenesis
  • The metabolic changes we describe in breast cancer arise in concert with IEM-like changes in oxidative phosphorylation as detected by increased values of the ratio lactate/pyruvate (Supplementary Table 2A, 2B) characteristic of Ox/Phos deficiency [25]. In our study, 76% (70/92) of the European breast cancer patients had lactate/pyruvate ratios values higher than the normal value of 25.8
  • four-fold higher frequency of cancer (including breast) in patients with energy metabolism disorders
  • growing recognition that cancer cells differ from their normal counterparts in their use of nutrients, synthesis of biomolecules and generation of energy
  • glutamine concentrations in the cancer patients were reduced to nearly 1/8 of the levels observed in the normal population
  • blood concentrations of aspartate (p = 1.7e-67, FDR = 8.3e-67) (Figure ​(Figure1E)1E) and glutamate (p = 6.4e-96, FDR = 6.2e-95) (Figure ​(Figure1F)1F) were nearly 10 fold higher than the normal ranges of 0–5 μM/L and 40 μM/L, respectively
  • glutamine consumption associated with parallel increases in glutamate and aspartate (Figure ​(Figure1A1A red arrows) is considered a hallmark of MYC-driven “glutaminolysis”
  • Gln/Glu ratio inversely correlates with i- late stage metabolic syndrome and with ii- increased chance of death
  • changes in glutamine consumption, reflected by the Gln/Glu ratio could provide a metabolic link between breast cancer initiation and diabetes, reflective of a systemic metabolic reprogramming from glucose to glutamine as the preferred source of precursors for biosynthetic reactions and cellular energy
  • lower Gln/Glu ratios inversely correlated with insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes
  • the metabolic dependencies of cancer characterized by excessive glycolysis, glutaminolysis and malignant lipidogenesis, previously considered a consequence of local tumor DNA aberration [23] could, instead, represent a systemic biochemical aberration that predates and very likely promotes tumorigenesis
  • these metabolic disturbances would be expected to remain extant after therapeutic interventions
  • accumulation of very long chain acylcarnitines such as C14:1-OH (p = 0.0, FDR = 0.0), C16 (p = 0.0, FDR = 0.0), C18 (p = 0.0, FDR = 0.0) and C18:1 (p = 1.73e-322, FDR = 1.16-321) and lipids containing VLCFA (lysoPC a C28:0) (p = 1.14-e95, FDR = 1.65e-95) in the blood of breast and colon cancer patients
  • Among the most powerful metabolic equations for MYC-activation is that which links the widely used MYC-driven desaturation marker ratio of SFA/MUFA to the MYC glutaminolysis-associated ratio of (Asp/Gln)
  • liver dysfunction shares many features with both IEM and cancer suggesting a role for hepatic dysfunction in carcinogenesis
  • cancer “conscripts” the human genome to meet its needs under conditions of systemic metabolic stress
  •  
    Breast cancer is a metabolic disease.  Now, where have I heard that cancer is a metabolic disease?
Nathan Goodyear

Clinical experience with intravenous administration of ascorbic acid: achievable levels... - 0 views

  • Patients with higher tumor markers are likely to have higher tumor burden, higher oxidative stress and, therefore, are more likely to have lower post IVC plasma levels.
  • Our data also showed that cancer patients with metastasis tend to have lower post-IVC vitamin C levels than those without metastasis
  • Lower peak plasma concentrations are obtained in cancer patients than in healthy subjects. Cancer patients who are deficient in vitamin C prior to therapy tend to achieve lower plasma levels post infusion.
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • Patients with higher inflammation or tumor burdens, as measured by CRP levels or tumor antigen levels, tend to show lower peak plasma ascorbate levels after IVC.
  • Patients with metastatic tumors tend to achieve lower post infusion plasma ascorbate levels than those with localized tumors.
  • Meta-analyses of clinical studies involving cancer and vitamins also conclude that antioxidant supplementation does not interfere with the efficacy of chemotherapeutic regiments
  • Most of the prostate cancer patients studied, 75±19% (95% confidence), showed reductions in PSA levels during the course of their IVC therapy
  • Laboratory studies suggest that, at high concentrations, ascorbate does not interfere with chemotherapy or irradiation and may enhance efficacy in some situations
  • Cameron and Pauling observed fourfold survival times in terminal cancer patients treated with intravenous ascorbate infusions followed by oral supplementation
  • The inflammatory microenvironment of cancer cells leads to increasing oxidative stress, which apparently depletes vitamin C, resulting in lower plasma ascorbate concentrations in blood samples post IVC infusion. Another explanation for this finding may be that cancers are themselves more metabolically active in their uptake of vitamin C, causing subjects to absorb more of the vitamin, and as a results show lower plasma ascorbate concentrations in blood post IVC infusion.
  • patients with severely elevated CRP levels attain plasma ascorbate concentrations after IVC infusions that are only 65% of those attained for subjects with normal CRP levels
  • The finding of decreased plasma ascorbate levels in cancer patients may relate to the molecular structure of ascorbic acid; in particular, the similarity of its oxidized form, dihydroascorbic acid, to glucose
  • Since tumor have increased requirement for glucose [67], transport of dehydroascorbate into the cancer cells via glucose transport molecules and ascorbate through sodium-dependent transporter may be elevated
  • Increased accumulation of ascorbic acid in the tumor site was supported by measurements of the level of ascorbic acid in tumors in animal experiments
  • patients with advanced malignancies may have lower level of ascorbic acid in tissue, creating a higher demand for the vitamin C
  • IVC therapy appears to reduce CRP levels in cancer patients.
  • CRP concentrations directly correlate with disease activity in many cases and can contribute to disease progression through a range of pro-inflammatory properties.
  • Being an exquisitely sensitive marker of systemic inflammation and tissue damage, CRP is very useful in screening for organic disease and monitoring treatment responses
  • ncreases in CRP concentrations have been associated with poorer prognosis of survival in cancer patients, particularly with advance disease independent of tumor stage
  • Regarding inflammation, 73±13% of subjects (95% confidence) showed a reduction in CRP levels during therapy. This was an even more dramatic 86±13% (95% confidence) in subjects who started therapy with CRP levels above 10 mg/L
  • patients treated by IVC with follow-up several year showed that suppression of inflammation in cancer patients by high-dose IVC is feasible and potentially beneficial
  • Inflammation is a marker of high cancer risk, and poor treatment outcome
  • The subjects with highly elevated CRP concentrations have a three-fold elevation “all-cause” mortality risk and a twenty-eight fold increase in cancer mortality risk
  • cancer patients may need higher doses to achieve a given plasma concentration.
  • patients with lower vitamin C levels may see more distribution of intravenously administered ascorbate into tissues and thus attain less in plasma.
  • When treating patients with IVC, the first treatment likely serves to replenish depleted tissue stores, if those subjects were vitamin C deficient at the beginning of the treatment. Then, in subsequent treatments, with increasing doses, higher plasma concentrations can be attained. On-going treatments serve to progressively reduce oxidative stress in cancer patients.
  • large doses given intravenously may result in maximum plasma concentrations of roughly 30 mM, a level that has been shown to be sufficient for preferential cytotoxicity against cancer cells
  • oral intake of vitamin C exceeded 200 mg administered once daily, it was difficult to increase plasma and tissue concentrations above roughly 200 μM.
  •  
    Great review on the use of IV vitamin C in cancer and to reduce inflammation.  The article does a great job of discussing the mechanism of vitamin C therapy in cancer as well as the proposed reasons for low vitamin C in cancer patients.  The study also highlights the obstacles to rise in vitamin C levels post IV vitamin C in cancer patients.
Nathan Goodyear

Tumor regionalization after surgery: Roles of the tumor microenvironment and neutrophil... - 0 views

  • tumor surgery must be carefully considered because the risk of metastasis could be increased by the surgical procedure.
  • NETosis, which is the process of forming neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)
  • surgery-induced metastasis
  • ...61 more annotations...
  • surgery per se can promote cancer metastasis through a series of local and systemic events
  • surgery results in a serious wound that disrupts the structural barrier preventing the outspreading of cancer cells, change the properties of the cancer cells and stromal cells remaining in the tumor microenvironment, or impairs the host defense systems against cancers
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Key point; add to presentation on surgery and metastasis
  • After the primary tumor is surgically removed, the metastases can start to grow vigorously via neoangiogenesis because the circulating inhibitors disappear
  • infection and inflammation during the postoperative period have been reported to increase the risk of cancer recurrence in patients
  • Surgeons have long suspected that surgery, even if it is a necessary step in cancer treatment, facilitates cancer metastasis
  • Surgery-induced cancer metastasis has been well established in animal models
  • tumor cell dissemination, tumor-favoring immune responses, and neoangiogenesis
  • the surgical resection of primary tumors is beneficial is controversial
  • CTCs abruptly increase just after surgery
  • Even externally palpitating tumors for diagnosis could increase the numbers of CTCs in skin cancer and breast cancer
  • excessive glucocorticoids negatively modulate immune functions
  • immune surveillance against tumors is considered to be impaired by surgical stress
  • In addition to glucocorticoids, during stimulation of the HPA axis, the catecholamine hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal medulla
  • NK cell suppression may be attributed to increased levels of catecholamines as well as glucocorticoids
  • In mice bearing a primary tumor, it was observed that the removal of the primary tumor facilitated the growth of highly vascularized metastases
  • primary tumors may secrete angiogenic inhibitors as well as angiogenic activators
  • second phase of tumor recurrence and metastasis, which are newly acquired events, rather than just outcomes of incomplete treatment.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Another key point
  • double-edged sword
  • HIF-1 in neutrophils plays a critical role in NETosis and bacteria-killing activity
  • neutrophils play various roles in the initiation and progression of cancer
  • NETosis
  • many inflammatory and neoplastic diseases
  • formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are large extracellular complexes composed of chromatin and cytoplasmic/granular proteins1
  • NETosis has been highlighted as an inflammatory event that promotes cancer metastasis
  • Once activated, neutrophils produce intracellular precursors by using DNA, histones, and granular and cytoplasmic proteins and then spread the mature form of NETs out around themselves
  • A series of these events is called NETosis.
  • neutrophil elastase, myeloperoxidase, cathepsin G, proteinase 3, lactoferrin, gelatinase, lysozyme C, calprotectin, neutrophil defensins, and cathelicidins
  • innate immune response against infection
  • Neutrophils are the most abundant type of granulocytes, comprising 40–70% of all white blood cells
  • two types of NEToses, suicidal (or lytic) NETosis and vital NETosis
  • Suicidal NETosis mainly depends on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
  • Since neutrophils die during this process, it is called suicidal NETosis.
  • vital NETosis
  • vital NETosis occurs independently of ROS production
  • Vital NETosis can be induced by Gram-negative bacteria. LPS
  • NETs are present in a variety of cancers, such as lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and leukemia
  • neutrophils actively undergo NETosis in the tumor microenvironment
  • Hypoxia
  • NETosis plays a pivotal role in noninfectious autoimmune diseases,
  • cytokines
  • tumor-derived proteases
  • tumor exosomes
  • NETosis generally actively progresses in the tumor microenvironment.
  • the proliferative cytokines TGFβ and IL-10 and the angiogenic factor VEGF are representative of neutrophil-derived tissue repair proteins.
  • NETosis is a defense system to protect the body from invading pathogens
  • when neutrophils are excessively stimulated, they produce excess NETs, thereby leading to pathological consequences
  • plasma levels of NETosis markers are elevated after major surgeries
  • local invasion, intravasation into the blood or lymphatic vessels, escape from the immune system, anchoring to capillaries in target organs, extravasation into the organs, transformation from dormant cells to proliferating cells, colonization to micrometastases, and growth to macrometastases
  • NETs promote metastasis at multiple steps
  • NETs loosen the ECM and capillary wall to promote the intravasation of cancer cells
  • NETs and platelets wrap CTCs, which protects them from attack by immune cells and shearing force by blood flow
  • NETs promote the local invasion of cancer cells by degrading the extracellular matrix (ECM)
  • neutrophil elastase, matrix metalloproteinase 9, and cathepsin G
  • NETs also promote the intravasation of cancer cells
  • millions of tumor cells are released into the circulation every day,
  • NETs can wrap up CTCs with platelets
  • β1-integrin plays an important role in the interaction between CTCs and NETs
  • NET-platelet-CTC aggregates.
  • After metastasizing to distant tissues, tumor cells are often found to remain dormant for a period of time and unexpectedly regrow late
  • NETs are believed to participate in the reactivation of dormant cancer cells in metastatic regions
  • NET-associated proteases NE and MMP-9 were found to be responsible for the reactivation of dormant cancer cells
  •  
    Surgery induced metastasis: it is real and steered by NETosis.
Nathan Goodyear

How is the Immune System Suppressed by Cancer - 1 views

  • nitric oxide (NO) released by tumor cells
  • Excellent work by Prof de Groot of Essen, indicated by adding exogenous xanthine oxidase ( XO) in hepatoma cells, hydrogen peroxide was produced to destroy the hepatoma cells
  • NO from eNOS in cancer cells can travel through membranes and over long distances in the body
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  • NO also is co linked to VEGF which in turn increases the antiapoptotic gene bcl-2
  • The other important influence of NO is in its inhibition of the proapoptoic caspases cascade. This in turn protects the cells from intracellular preprogrammed death.
  • nitric oxide in immune suppression in relation to oxygen radicals is its inhibitory effect on the binding of leukocytes (PMN) at the endothelial surface
  • Inhibition of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS)
  • NO from the tumor cells actually suppresses the iNOS, and in addition it reduces oxygen radicals to stop the formation of peroxynitrite in these cells. But NO is not the only inhibitor of iNOS in cancer.
  • Spermine and spermidine, from the rate limiting enzyme for DNA synthases, ODC, also inhibit iNOS
  • tolerance in the immune system that decreases the immune response to antigens on the tumors
  • Freund’s adjuvant
  • increase in kinases in these cells which phosphorylate serine, and tyrosine
  • responsible for activation of many growth factors and enzymes
  • phosphorylated amino acids suppress iNOS activity
  • Hexokinase II
  • Prostaglandin E2, released from tumor cells is also an inhibitor of iNOS, as well as suppressing the immune system
  • Th-1 subset of T-cells. These cells are responsible for anti-viral and anti-cancer activities, via their cytokine production including Interleukin-2, (IL-2), and Interleukin-12 which stimulates T-killer cell replication and further activation and release of tumor fighting cytokines.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Th1 cells stimulate NK and other tumor fighting macrophages via IL-2 and IL-12; In contrast, Th2, which is stimulated in allergies and parasitic infections, produce IL-4 and IL-10.  IL-4 and IL-10 inhibit TH-1 activation and the histamine released from mast cell degranulation upregulates T suppressor cells to further immune suppression.
  • Th-2 subset of lymphocytes, on the other hand are activated in allergies and parasitic infections to release Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-10
  • These have respectively inhibitory effects on iNOS and lymphocyte Th-1 activation
  • Mast cells contain histamine which when released increases the T suppressor cells, to lower the immune system and also acts directly on many tumor Histamine receptors to stimulate tumor growth
  • Tumor cells release IL-10, and this is thought to be one of the important areas of Th-1 suppression in cancer patients
  • IL-10 is also increased in cancer causing viral diseases such as HIV, HBV, HCV, and EBV
  • IL-10 is also a central regulator of cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin production in tumor cells stimulating their angiogenesis and NO production
  • nitric oxide in tumor cells even prevents the activation of caspases responsible for apoptosis
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      NO produced by cancer cells inhibits proapoptotic pathways such as the caspases.
  • early stages of carcinogenesis, which we call tumor promotion, one needs a strong immune system, and fewer oxygen radicals to prevent mutations but still enough to destroy the tumor cells should they develop
  • later stages of cancer development, the oxygen radicals are decreased around the tumors and in the tumor cells themselves, and the entire cancer fighting Th-1 cell replication and movement are suppressed. The results are a decrease in direct toxicity and apoptosis, which is prevented by NO, a suppression of the macrophage and leukocyte toxicity and finally, a suppression of the T-cell induced tumor toxicity
  • cGMP is increased by NO
  • NO in cancer is its ability to increase platelet-tumor cell aggregates, which enhances metastases
  • the greater the malignancies and the greater the metastatic potential of these tumors
  • The greater the NO production in many types of tumors,
  • gynecological
  • elevated lactic acid which neutralizes the toxicity and activity of Lymphocyte immune response and mobility
  • The lactic acid is also feeding fungi around tumors and that leads to elevated histamine which increases T-suppressor cells.  Histamine alone stimulates many tumor cells.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      The warburg effect in cancer cells results in the increase in local lactic acid production which suppresses lymphocyte activity and toxicity as well as stimulates histamine production with further stimulates tumor cell growth.
  • T-regulatory cells (formerly,T suppressor cells) down regulate the activity of Natural killer cells
  • last but not least, the Lactic acid from tumor cells and acidic diets shifts the lymphocyte activity to reduce its efficacy against cancer cells and pathogens in addition to altering the bacteria of the intestinal tract.
  • intestinal tract bacteria in cancer cells release sterols that suppress the immune system and down regulate anticancer activity from lymphocytes.
  • In addition to the lactic acid, adenosine is also released from tumors. Through IL-10, adenosine and other molecules secreted by regulatory T cells, the CD8+ cells can be inactivated to an anergic state
  • Adenosine up regulates the PD1 receptor in T-1 Lymphocytes and inhibits their activity
  • Adenosine is a purine nucleoside found within the interstitial fluid of solid tumors at concentrations that are able to inhibit cell-mediated immune responses to tumor cells
  • Adenosine appears to up-regulate the PD1 receptor in T-1 Lymphocytes and inhibits the immune system further
  • Mast cells with their release of histamine lower the immune system and also stimulate tumor growth and activate the metalloproteinases involved in angiogenesis and metastases
  • COX 2 inhibitors or all trans-retinoic acid
  • Cimetidine, an antihistamine has been actually shown to increase in apoptosis in MDSC via a separate mechanism than the antihistamine effect
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      cimetidine is an H2 blocker
  • interleukin-8 (IL-8), a chemokine related to invasion and angiogenesis
  • In vitro analyses revealed a striking induction of IL-8 expression in CAFs and LFs by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)
  • these data raise the possibility that the majority of CAFs in CLM originate from resident LFs. TNF-alpha-induced up-regulation of IL-8 via nuclear factor-kappaB in CAFs is an inflammatory pathway, potentially permissive for cancer invasion that may represent a novel therapeutic target
  •  
    Great review of the immunosuppression in cancer driven by the likes of NO.
fitspresso

LeanBiome™ (Official) | Get Save UpTo $540 Today Only! - 0 views

  •  
    LeanBiome™ (Official) | Get Save UpTo $540 Today Only! usleanbiome.com LeanBiome™ Hurry Up! Offer Expires in: 00 HOUR 29 MINUTE 59 SECOND LeanBiome Attention! Get Special 84% Discount Today Faster fat burning and weight loss Healthy cholesterol and sugar levels Higher energy levels Regular price: $129 Only for: 39$ What Is LeanBiome? LeanBiome Lean for Good is a weight loss dietary supplement derived from scientifically researched ingredients and comprehensively developed to help people achieve sustainable weight control. The formula comes in a capsule format that is easy to take and is made with natural ingredients from plants and other sources to achieve its goals. The main ingredient in LeanBiome is piperine, which has been found to affect the body's ability to absorb micronutrients and other compounds more effectively. LeanBiome is a dietary supplement that claims to help weight management. It contains 100% natural ingredients that support healthy weight loss. It does not interfere with any natural process making it safe for use. It ranks among the top weight loss supplements that claim to provide a permanent solution. LeanBiome is made by a company named Lean for Good. It is made with natural and research-backed ingredients that help you lose excess fat without hassles. It is sold in capsule form. The company assures the composition is GMO, gluten, and soy-free. As for manufacturing standards, you need not fret. The company makes the supplement in a facility certified by the FDA. How Does LeanBiome Work? The starting period of the LeanBiome program includes a detoxification process that effectively removes any accumulated ree radicals, toxins, fand oxidative stress. This cleansing enables improved blood circulation, setting the stage for the body to initiate its own fat-burning mechanisms. To enhance metabolic activity, introducing the lean bacteria contained in LeanBiome to your gut microbiome is a beneficial approach. This activation triggers r
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