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NADPH oxidase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase), with its generically termed NOX isoforms, is the major source of ROS (reactive oxigen species) in biological systems. ROS are small oxygen-derived molecules with an important role in various biological processes (physiological or pathological). If under physiological conditions some processes are beneficial and necessary for life, under pathophysiological conditions they are noxious, harmful. NADPH oxidases are present in phagocytes and in a wide variety of nonphagocytic cells. The enzyme generates superoxide by transferring electrons from NADPH inside the cell across the membrane and coupling them to molecular oxygen to produce superoxide anion, a reactive free-radical. Structurally, NADPH oxidase is a multicomponent enzyme which includes two integral membrane proteins, glycoprotein gp9 1 Phox and adaptor protein p22(phox), which together form the heterodimeric flavocytochrome b558 that constitutes the core of the enzyme. During the resting state, the multidomain regulatory subunits p40P(phox), p47(phox), p67(Phox) are located in the cytosol organized as a complex. The activation of phagocytic NADPH oxidase occurs through a complex series of protein interactions.

Green nails, also known as chloronychia or green nail syndrome, are characterized by green discoloration of the nail plate (greenish-yellow, greenish-brown, greenish-black), proximal chronic non-tender paronychia, and distolateral onycholysis. The cause is Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection of the nail plate in persons whose hands are constantly exposed to water, soaps, and detergents or are subject to mechanical trauma, especially in the elderly. Green or black coloration of the nails should raise suspicion for Pseudomonas infection and be treated with an oral quinolone (ciprofloxacin), particularly in aged patients. We present three cases of green nails in elderly persons.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral illness usually occurring during the summer months in children younger than 5 years of age. In the North-East area of Romania the incidence is usually low, each dermatologist reporting 1-2 cases or even less per year. The diagnosis is usually based on the characteristic clinical aspect: vesicles and papules on the hands and feet and superficial oral ulcers. HFMD is typically a benign and self-limiting disease that resolves in approximately 7 days; in Asia there have been few reported severe cases that developed neurological complications and even death, while in certain areas of China this disease is a more and more serious public health problem. In the summer of 2012 in North-East Romania numerous cases of disease have been reported, some with atypical clinical manifestations and most of them with mild or moderate forms of disease. The present article is a discussion on one of these cases. The diagnosis was made based on lesions location and clinical appearance. An outbreak of HFMD should be confirmed by virology tests.

Increasing attention paid to the main family of peroxisome proliferator activated receptors--PPARs is generated, on one hand by the multiple functions of its members in numerous metabolically active tissues, and on the other hand by the therapeutic benefits expresed by some specific ligands that are used in certain metabolic diseases treatment plan. PPARalpha stimulates the beta-oxidative degradation of fatty acids and controls plasma lipid transport through the mediated action upon the triglycerides and fatty acids metabolism and by modulation of biosynthesis and catabolism of bile acids in the liver. PPARgamma promotes adipocytes differentiation and fat storage. PPARbeta/delta is involved in control and management of adipogenesis. While PPARalpha mediates the hypolipemiant actions of fibrates, PPARgamma is the receptor for thiazolidinediones (glitazones) reccomended in type 2 diabetes treatment; by binding to PPARgamma, glitazones modulates transcription of genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism.

PPARs (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) are proteine receptors that act as transcription factors activated by ligands. There are three known isoforms of PPARs (alpha, beta/delta, gamma) with similar modulated structure, consisting of distinct regions with specific functions. PPARs activate transcription of their target genes by forming cytoplasmatic heterodimers (PPARs:RXR) with his partner RXR (retinoid X receptor), and once translocated into the nucleus bind to specific DNA sequence called PPRE (peroxisome proliferator response elements) and modulate the expression of genes. Each PPAR is differently expressed in various tissues. Modulatory function of PPARs is induced by natural or synthetic ligand binding. Additional activator proteins are recruited to form a complex that coordinates and regulates the expression of many genes. Moreover, nuclear receptors' activity is also regulated by posttranslational changes.

Unlabelled: Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone that has been shown to have vasodilator effects. Angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7) is a bioactive component of the renin-angiotensin system and may play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis., Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between ghrelin and a better known vasodilatator, Ang 1-7., Material and Method: The dose-dependent relaxing effects of ghrelin were assessed on pulmonary artery rings of male Wistar rats with intact endothelium in the absence or the presence of Ang 1-7. Ang 1-7 was added in the organ bath with 5 minutes before N(G)-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1 micro/M) and indomethacin administration in the presence of cumulative doses of ghrelin., Results: Our results showed that Ang 1-7 could improve and restore vasorelaxant effects of ghrelin on rat pulmonary rings with intact endothelium., Conclusion: Vasodilatatory actions of ghrelin are potentiated by Ang 1-7 and mediated by local synthesis of prostaglandins and nitric oxide.

The great versatility of polymers makes them very useful in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. The combination of natural and synthetic polymers leads to new materials with tailored functional properties. The aim of this work consists in the preparation of new drug delivery system based on chitosan (natural polymer) and polybetaines (synthetic polymers), by a simple process, well known in the literature as complex coacervation methods. Also, the adsorption and release studies of two antibiotics as well as the preservation of their bactericidal capacities were performed.

A 57-year-old woman, with left choroidal melanoma treated by laser photocoagulation and a history of repeated vitrectomies, checked for left eye acute pain and foreign body-like sensation, symptoms that occurred after three years since the primary tumor treatment. The left eyeball was enucleated and the tissues were investigated by immunohistochemistry for markers associated with cell differentiation, proliferation and adhesion, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis control, vascularization, invasiveness and local immune response. We identified, in fact, two independent tumors, with different localization and sharing some common features, markers of a highly aggressive potential: loss of cell differentiation markers and cell cycle regulators, ability to avoid death by suppressing Fas antigen expression and important invasive capacity by down regulation of E-cadherin expression. However, only in the posterior tumor, we found cells with high proliferation rate, Fas ligand molecule expression and MMP-9 secretion, acquisitions associated with a much more aggressive behavior. These particular phenotypes allowed the posterior cells to grow and to invade the surrounding tissues more rapidly than the anterior ones, leading to the development of a large size tumoral mass, responsible for the clinical symptoms. Photocoagulation, by destroying the tissues, makes impossible the evaluation of the primary tumor's biological features, important for the tumor evolution. The absence of these data stresses the importance of patient monitoring, eventually addressing a panel of soluble markers associated with recurrence or metastasis development.

Unlabelled: Studies carried out to determine the abilities of statins showed that they have multiple cholesterol-independent benefits, named pleiotropic. These effects are highly diverse and assume such properties as the improvement of endothelial dysfunction, damaged by multiple pathologic conditions, with secondary increase in NO bioavailability. Also at endothelial level, statins have the ability of diminishing the adhesion molecules expression, thus having an indirect vasodilatator role. Their antioxidant ability is manifest in various ways: decreases the superoxide radical anion production, fact that theoretically makes them useful in the treatment of other conditions like dyslipidemia or cardiovascular diseases. Their antiinflammatory role is complex and consists, among others, in the increase of antiinflammatory cytokines production, diminution of the action of the proinflammatory ones, and decrease of monocyte recruitment., Conclusion: From this perspective, we believe the understanding of the innermost mechanisms through which statins act, their effects, and their use in other therapeutic schemes than the already accepted ones is useful.

Statins, as inhibitors of the first regulatory enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis --HMG-CoA reductase--have a special impact in medical practice. Given their therapeutic efficacy, statins are believed to be the strongest class of agents in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. Moreover, besides decreasing total cholesterol and C-LDL levels, numerous fundamental and clinical researches suggest that statins also have an antiinflammatory effect. Inflammation is closely related to the production of oxygen-derived reactive species (ROS). The antioxidant effects of statins associated with their ability to block the formation and/or action of ROS may add up their therapeutic efficacy. Within this context, the present paper presents data in literature related to the effect of statins on the expression and activity of NAD(P)H oxidase, activity of the enzymes involved in the antioxidative defence (SOD, GPx, catalase, paraoxonase), and their ability to act as free radical scavengers and oxidized-LDL inhibitors. By their antioxidant properties statins may decrease the atherogenic potential of lipoproteins.

Aim: The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the activity of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and IL1-beta in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) on animal model with experimentally induced diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease., Material and Method: During our study we used 15 Wistar rats, divided into three groups: I--control, II--with experimental model of periodontal disease, III--with experimental model of periodontal disease and diabetes. The sampling of GCF was realized using Whatman no. 1 paper strips introduced in the gingival sulci from mandibular left and right molars. For the determination of AST in GCF we used a spectrophotometric method while gingival fluid IL-1beta determinations were realized through immune enzymatic methods, using an ELISA kit (rlL-1beta)., Results: The results displayed 3.47 times increased gingival fluid AST values in the stimulated experimental model (with periodontal alteration) when compared to control values (without periodontal disease), while in diabetes an increase of 6.139 times higher compared to control (without periodontal disease) were recorded. Moreover, the levels of periodontal disorder-induced IL-1beta were 3.54 times higher compared to control (group II--218.490 pg/mL vs group I--61.691 pg/mL), the most significant increase being recorded for the group with diabetes associated to periodontitis (492.129 pg/mL)., Conclusion: The present study found a high level of agreement between the presence of AST and IL-1beta in GCF in the experimental model of diabetes associated to periodontal disease, elevated when compared with the periodontal disease only model, and both higher when compared to control group.

Unlabelled: We present the clinical, computer tomografic and patological findings of current lesion of the parapharyngial space., Material and Method: We retrospectivly analised the clinical, cross-sectional imaging files and the patological results for 33 patients explored during January 2006-March 2008 by a medical team at the "Prof. Dr. N. Oblu" Clinical Hospital., Results: In our study we didn't find primitive lesions in the parapharyngial space but, we explored 33 lesions extended in the parapharyngial space with origins around the parapharyngial space. The most frequent hystological types of tumor were represented by squamous cell carcinoma of nasopharyngs (n = 22), followed by primitive lesions in to the infratemporal phosa (n = 5). We had also 2 tumoral cases of the parotyd gland, one of the skull base and 3 facial fractures with involvement in to the parapharyngial space., Conclusion: The infiltrations of parapharyngial space by different lesions require Computer tomographic exams for a precise evaluation of the extension of the lesions, evenetual lymph node metastasis, the presence of tumoral recidive and the orientation to a imagistic diagnosis which will be confirmated by a patological exam. The multidisciplinary approach of these lesions will permit a proper terapeutical management to each case.

The interrelation between diabetes mellitus and inflammatory periodontal disease has been intensively studied for more than 50 years, a real bidirectional influence existing between patient's glycemic level disorder and periodontal territories alteration. Several studies developed in this direction emerged to the evidences that reveal a general increase of prevalence, extent and severity of gingivitis and periodontitis. Inflammation plays an important role in this interrelation, orchestrating both the periodontal disease and diabetes mellitus pathogeny and complications. Conversely, periodontal disease--infectious disease characterized by a significant inflammatory component--can seriously impair metabolic control of some diabetic patient. Moreover, treatment of periodontal disease and reduction of oral signs of inflammation may have a beneficial result on the diabetic condition (1). Less clear are the mechanisms governing this interrelation (even the literature is abundant in this direction), and, very probably, periodontal diseases serve as initiators of insulin resistance (in a way similar to obesity), thereby aggravating glycemic control. Further research is so imposed in order to clarify this aspect of the relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease.

The clinical and paraclinical benefits of drugs that are not included in the standard therapy strategies, to patients suffering from bronchial asthma, are illustrated in a particularly rich specialty literature. Magnesium, furosemide, heparins, antioxidative drugs, nitric oxide donor substances have real qualities, that make them useful in the management of patients suffering from asthma. The tremendous amount of studies that inspired this work suggests that, for the asthmatic patients, there are other alternative therapies, which can be administrated as adjuvant medication to the classical medication. At the same time, unconventional treatments are a solution worth considering for treatment-resisting cases, for cases in which side reactions develop to the standard therapy, and a source of inspiration for future research.

Twenty three cases of parotid gland pleomorphic adenoma from Surgical Oro-Maxillo Facial Clinic of "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital, Iaşi, have been evaluated. In order to reveal the particular microscopic aspects, several histological techniques have been used: HE, Van Gieson, PAS, Alcian Blue and Gordon Sweet. The microscopic evidences points out the variety of microscopic forms even within the same case, and also the prevalence of some particular forms such as myo-epithelial cell predominance, squamous metaplasia and cystic degeneration. Our observations, corroborated with the one from other research, support the hypothesis of an unique ectodermal cell origin for the lesion histogenesis.

Angiotensin II (AII) is a central factor involved in the pathophysiology of arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. On the other hand, polyamines represent a family of organic cations with low molecular weight, playing intracellular regulatory roles essential for the cellular growth and differentiation. The cellular contents, the synthesis and the transport of polyamines are increased following the actions of AII, as well as of other cellular growth factors. Our results show that the administration of polyamines as pre-treatment modulates the contractile effects of extracellular AII (80 nM). This modulation is concentration-dependent and dual: the lower concentrations amplify and the higher concentrations reduce the effects of AII in the isolated rat aorta rings without endothelium. Moreover, DL-alpha-Difluoromethylomithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, does not significantly modify the contractile effects of AII. Thus, these data suggest that polyamines generated through this metabolic pathway are not involved in the contractile effects of AII in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle.

Our study showed that the administration in pre-treatment of some polyamines (especially spermine and spermidine and almost null agmatine, putrescine and cadaverine) reduced the contractile effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) in isolated rat aorta. These effects might not be associated to the interference of clathrin coated vesicles (coated pits) formation or caveolae interaction (and thus to Ang II internalization through AT1 receptors). In contrast, these effects seem to be due to the interaction with voltage-gated membrane Ca2+ channels. Therefore, the alteration of transmembrane Ca2+ fluxes does not exclude the involvement of internalization process through coated pits or caveolae, since the endocytosis mediated by these phenomena essentially needs Ca2+. In addition, the inhibitory effects are dependent on the number of positive charges of the polyamine molecules.

Considering the influence on the molecular level of the neoplasic factors, upon several proteins, nucleic acids, one can say that some of the oncogenesis determinants are represented by genetic mutations. Free radicals, including also some organic peroxides are considered as tumour promoters, although the exact mechanism of this process in still unknown. The neoplasic disease is characterized generally by disorders of the control processes, including the one displayed on the subcellular level. Considering the enzymatic changes occurred in erythrocytes and determined by the disturbances of membrane permeability, we evaluated the response of several aggressions at the erythrocyte level, in case of maxillo-facial tumours. Our results show increase of the LDH, G-6-P-DH activity and decrease of catalase activity within the erythrocyte.

The objective of the present study was represented by the effects of polyamineloaded liposomes on hepatic mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT). MPT was appreciated through the swelling of the isolated guinea-pig liver mithocondria induced by Ca2+, at 540 nm, using a diode-array 8452 UV-VIS spectrophotometer and a General Purpose software (Hewlett-Packard). Polyamines encapsulated in liposomes might inhibit the appearance of MPT induced by Ca2+, directly proportional to electrical charge: spermine > spermidine > putrescine > cadaverine. Thus, together with some previous data, it was observed that spermine may modulate hepatic MPT from the exterior, as well as from the interior of mitochondria. Moreover, spermidine and putrescine may also modulate MPT from the interior of mitochondria at low doses, and from the exterior only at high doses. The changes in mitochondrial membranes lipid composition (as done by control liposomes) are slightly influencing the MPT. The increase in membrane rigidity through the use of 40% cholesterol-enriched liposomes is drastically decreasing the appearance and development of MPT.