We also nominate six new candidate neuropeptides derived from proSAAS, secretogranin-2 and proTRH.”
“Although elevated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 levels were highly related to the

degradation of tight junction (TJ) proteins and basal lamina and neuronal injury after ischemia, until very recently, little experimental evidence was available to test the role of the MMP-2 knockout (KO) in blood-brain-barrier (BBB) injury and the development of hemorrhage see more transformation (HT). Here, we assessed the role of the MMP-2 KO in BBB injury, HT and other brain injuries after 1 h of ischemia and 23 h of reperfusion. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed in MMP-2 KO mice. Reperfusion was started 1 h after the onset of MCAO. All mice were sacrificed 24 h after the MCAO. MMP-2 deficiency reduced the decrease in protein levels of collagen IV and cellular membrane occludin (p < 0.01 and 0.05 vs. wild-type (WT), respectively) and attenuated

increase in cytosol occludin level in ischemic brain (p < 0.01 vs. WT). The hemorrhage volume and brain infarction were significantly decreased in both the cortex and striatum in the MMP-2 KO mice (p < 0.01 vs. WT). The MMP-2 KO also had reduced brain swelling in the cortex and improved neurological deficits (p < 0.01 vs. WT). These studies provide direct evidence that targeting MMP-2 will effectively protect against collagen and occludin check details loss and HT after ischemia and reperfusion. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IBRO.”
“Background. The study assessed the impact of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in the United States by comparing the rates of PSA testing in U.S. counties to the rates of prostate biopsies and newly treated prostate cancer and to deaths from prostate cancer.

Methods. We examined the association between the percentage of men aged 66-74 from a nationally representative 5% Medicare sample who received PSA testing in each

U.S. county in 1997 and the percent of men who received prostate biopsies or treatment for newly diagnosed prostate cancer in 1997 as well as mortality from prostate cancer and from all Tobramycin other causes from 1998 to 2007.

Results. Analyses of 1,067 U.S. counties showed a significant relationship between the rate of PSA testing and both the rate of men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer and prostate cancer mortality (both p < .001) but no relationship with mortality from other causes. For every 100,000 men receiving a PSA test in 1997, an additional 4,894 men underwent prostate biopsy and 1,597 additional men underwent prostate cancer treatment in 1997, and 61 fewer men died from prostate cancer during 1998-2006. Analyses stratified by age and race produced similar results.

Conclusions. PSA testing was associated with modest reductions in prostate cancer mortality and large increases in the number of men overdiagnosed with and overtreated for prostate cancer.