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Aims Although approving new anticonvulsants was a major breakthrough in the field of epilepsy control, so far we have met limited success in almost one third of patients suffering from epilepsy and a definite and reliable method is yet to be found. Levosimendan demonstrated neuroprotective effects and reduced mortality in conditions in which seizure can be an etiology of death; however, the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms of levosimendan still eludes us. In the light of evidence suggesting levosimendan can be a K ATP channel opener and nitrergic pathway activator, levosimendan may exert antiseizure effects through K ATP channels and nitrergic pathway. Main methods In this study, the effects of levosimendan on seizure susceptibility was studied by PTZ-induced seizures model in mice. Key findings Administration of a single effective dose of levosimendan significantly increased seizures threshold and the nitrite level in the hippocampus and temporal cortex. Pretreatment with noneffective doses of glibenclamide (a K ATP channel blocker) and L-NAME (a non-selective NOS inhibitor) neutralize the anticonvulsant and nitrite elevating effects of levosimendan. While 7-NI (a neural NOS inhibitor) blocked the anticonvulsant effect of levosimendan, Aminoguanidine (an inducible NOS inhibitor) failed to affect the anticonvulsant effects of levosimendan. Cromakalim (a K ATP channel opener) or l -arginine (an NO precursor) augmented the anticonvulsant effects of a subeffective dose of levosimendan. Moreover, co-administration of noneffective doses of Glibenclamide and L-NAME demonstrated a synergistic effect in blocking the anticonvulsant effects of levosimendan. Significance Levosimendan has anticonvulsant effects possibly via K ATP /nNOS/NO pathway activation in the hippocampus and temporal cortex.

Objective To assess the role of transition zone prostate-specific antigen density (TZPSAD) in determining rebiopsy strategy in men with prostate inflammation at initial biopsy. Materials and Methods Analysis was performed on data derived from transrectal ultrasound–guided prostate biopsy registry containing 2461 men who underwent biopsy between March 2005 and January 2015. Eligible patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of chronic inflammation in prostate. Group 1 consisted of 920 patients with histopathologic evidence of chronic inflammation and group 2 consisted of 1287 patients with no evidence of inflammation. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the accuracy of PSA, PSA density (PSAD), and TZPSAD for detecting prostate cancer (PCa) in each group. Patients who underwent rebiopsy during the study period were further assessed to determine factors that may predict the presence of PCa on subsequent biopsies. Results In group 1 patients, at 90% sensitivity for detecting PCa, PSAD and TZPSAD showed 19.7% and 37.8% specificity at cutoff values of 0.10 and 0.27 ng/mL/mL respectively, whereas in group 2 patients, PSAD and TZPSAD revealed 29.8% and 31.4% specificity, respectively. Chronic inflammation at initial biopsy was associated with a significant decrease in the likelihood of cancer detection during rebiopsy (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.99). TZPSAD was found to be capable of sparing 39.8% of unnecessary rebiopsies in group 1 patients, whereas it spared 20.5% of unnecessary rebiopsies in group 2 patients. Conclusion Applying TZPSAD is advantageous in determining rebiopsy strategy in patients with proven inflammation of prostate at initial biopsy.

Cannabinoid and PPAR receptors show well established interactions in a set of physiological effects. Regarding the seizure-modulating properties of both classes of receptors, the present study aimed to evaluate the roles of the PPAR-gamma, PPAR-alpha and CB1 receptors on the anticonvulsant effects of WIN 55,212-2 (WIN, a non selective cannabinoid agonist). The clonic seizure thresholds after intravenous administration of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) were assessed in mice weighing 23-30 g. WIN increased the seizure threshold dose dependently. Pretreatment with pioglitazone, as a PPARγ agonist, potentiated the anticonvulsant effects of WIN, while PPARγ antagonist inhibited these anticonvulsant effects partially. On the other hand PPARα antagonist reduced the anticonvulsant effects of WIN significantly. Finally the combination of CB1 antagonist and PPARα antagonist could completely block the anticonvulsant properties of WIN. Taken together, these results show for the first time that a functional interaction exists between cannabinoid and PPAR receptors in the modulation of seizure susceptibility.

Stroke is a leading cause of death, disability, and socioeconomic loss worldwide. All attempts at pharmacological reduction of the complications of stroke (e.g. post-stroke seizure, and brain׳s vulnerability to hypoxic/ischemic injury) have failed. Endogenous opioids and nitric oxide (NO) overproduction has been documented in brain hypoxia/ischemia (H/I), which can exert pro-convulsive effects. In this study, we aimed to examine the possible involvement of opioidergic and nitrergic pathways in the pathogenesis of post-stroke seizure. H/I was induced by right common carotid ligation and sham-operated mice served as controls. We demonstrated that right common carotid ligation decreases the threshold for clonic seizures induced by pentylenetetrazole (PTZ), a GABA antagonist. Furthermore, pro-convulsive effect of H/I following right common carotid ligation was blocked by naltrexone (NTX) (3mg/kg), NG-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) (10mg/kg), and aminoguanidine (AG) (100mg/kg) administration (P