Mutations in the neurofibromatosis type 1 gene predispose patients to develop benign peripheral nerve tumors (neurofibromas) containing Schwann cells (SCs). SCs from neurofibromatosis type-1 gene (Nf1) null mutant mice showed increased levels of Ras-GTP and cAMP. The proliferation and differentiation of SCs are regulated by Ras-GTP and cAMP-mediated signaling, which have been linked to expressi...

Nonclinical studies have suggested that oxidative damage, caspase-mediated apoptosis, and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels may be involved in the pathogenesis of colistin (CST)-associated acute renal failure. MIN inhibits caspase 1, caspase 3, and inducible nitric oxide synthase, leading to the hypothesis that coadministration of CST with MIN (CST-MIN) may reduce the incidence of acute re...

AIMS Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (Rho GEFs) are responsible for Rho protein activation by catalyzing the exchange of GDP for GTP. Although overactivation of Rho proteins is a common component of the pathogenesis of vascular disorders, the molecular mechanisms and the Rho GEFs regulating Rho protein activity and Rho-dependent functions in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) are still...

Abstract Background and Aims COVID-19 acute kidney injury (AKI) are each associated with increased mortality but the interaction between these two conditions has not been adequately investigated appropriate control groups. The aim of this national study was to assess patient characteristics well as associations higher in patients or without COVID AKI. Method We extracted 3,324,748 finished cons...

Abstract Background/Aims Many people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receive intramuscular (IM) or oral bridging glucocorticoids whilst methotrexate (MTX) takes effect. Little is known about the information needs and experiences of RA receiving when starting MTX. Methods Seventy-six adults referred for MTX counselling attending two rheumatology units in West Midlands were invited to ta...

Abstract Background and Aims The recent worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has identified acute kidney injury (AKI) as a serious complication of COVID-19. Previous reports suggest that AKI associated with higher morbidity mortality compared to due other causes. Limited data suggested regional variation in incidence is related population density. However, little known about the effect region, SARS CoV-...

Let G = (V,E) be a simple, undirected graph. Given an integer r ≥ 1, we say that G is r-twin-free (or r-identifiable) if the balls B(v, r) for v ∈ V are all different, where B(v, r) denotes the set of all vertices which can be linked to v by a path with at most r edges. These graphs are precisely the ones which admit r-identifying codes. We show that if a graph G is r-twin-free, then it contain...

BACKGROUND Despite the use of low-osmolar contrast media that have significantly reduced the occurrence of severe adverse reactions, contrast-induced (CI) acute kidney injury (AKI) remains the third cause of AKI in hospitals. We sought to estimate the frequency of CI-AKI among hospitalized patients undergoing image-guided cardiovascular procedures, to quantify the effect of risk factors on the ...

This study was designed to evaluate the signaling pathways coupling adenosine A1 receptors and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. Studies were conducted using cultures of primary HTM cells and the HTM-3 cell line. Activation of ERK1/2, location of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) secretion were determi...

CD5 acts as a coreceptor on T lymphocytes and plays an important role in T-cell signaling and T-cell-B-cell interactions. Costimulation of T lymphocytes with anti-CD5 antibodies results in an increase of the intracellular Ca2+ levels, and subsequently in the activation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) kinase type IV. In the present study, we have characterized the initial signaling pathway in...