Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders-Drug Targets (Formerly Current Drug Targets - Immune, Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders) - Volume 16, Issue 3, 2016

Cigarette smoke (CS) accounts for the outcome of several pathologies, even including lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Under healthy conditions, lung immune system becomes tolerant in response to various external stimuli. CS exposure alters the pulmonary immune equilibrium, thus leading to a condition of hyper activation of the local innate and adaptive immunity. COP Read More

Introduction: Methadone is the most common opioid in use for opioid substitution therapy. The relation of methadone and electrocardiographic findings is nearly well known while the relationship between its electrocardiographic indexes and hormonal changes is not well recognized. Objective: To evaluate the hormonal changes in patients who are taking methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) and its effects on ele Read More

Background: Sleep alterations can impair quality of life and contribute to disease progression but they, and their features and contributing factors, are rarely analysed in institutionalised older individuals. In this study, we investigated sleep alterations, the factors involved, and the role of cortisol in sleep-related problems in institutionalised individuals. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in participants living Read More

Background: ‘Beta thalassemia is inherited hemoglobin disorder resulting in chronic hemolytic anemia that requires lifelong transfusion therapy’. ‘Repeated blood transfusions and RBCs hemolysis are the main causes of iron overload’, which in addition to immune abnormalities, are common predisposing factors to infections in patients with thalassemia. The Aim of this Work: The aim of this work was to study immune status in Read More

Background: Our recent findings have demonstrated that electromagnetic radiations (EMR) (1.8 GHz radiofrequency) are able to in vitro induce morphometrical and morphological modifications of human leukocytes from normal donors. Methods: In view of the evidence that polyphenols exert many beneficial effects on plants, animals and humans, leukocytes from human peripheral blood were pre-treated for 1 h with tw Read More

Background: The study of fungal contamination in food and mycotoxicoses is a priority today, both internationally and nationally. The purpose of this study is to have a general view over the quality of the most common spices that are sold in Romanian markets, by assessing the degree of fungal, bacterial and mycotoxin contamination in pepper and chili powders. Methods: We tested four types of spices: white pepper, blac Read More

Background: Preventing liver damage that might lead to cirrhosis is very important in the early stages of injury to that organ. The role of mast cells (MCs) in liver injuries has been long debated, and vitamin E is a well-known antioxidant used to treat those injuries. This study aimed to determine the protective role of vitamin E on MCs in injury to the liver that is triggered by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). There is a correlation betwe Read More

Background: Human autoimmune diseases are caused by a variety of factors, such as environmental chemicals, including para-nonylphenol. Macrophages play many critical roles in the regulation of immunity and the progression of autoimmune diseases. However, little information is available regarding the effects of para-nonylphenol on cellular signaling pathways and the death of these cells in vitro. Here, we show th Read More

Background: Studies have already shown that hyperglycemia and insulin resistance are significantly associated with the impairment of cerebral glucose metabolism that may secondary lead to cognitive disturbances. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the neurometabolic correlates of diabetes in a patient with Intermittent explosive disorder (IED). Methods: We have investigated the cerebral glucose metabolism via 2-[1 Read More