A cross-machine comparison of shear-wave speed measurements using 2d shear-wave elastography in the normal female breast

Quantitative measures of radiation-induced breast stiffness are required to support clinical studies of novel breast radiotherapy regimens and exploration of personalised therapy, however, variation between shear-wave elastography (SWE) machines may limit the usefulness of shear-wave speed (cs) for this purpose. Mean cs measured in four healthy volunteers’ breasts and a phantom using 2D-SWE machines Acuson S2000 (Siemens Medical Solutions) and Aixplorer (Supersonic Imagine) were compared. Shear-wave speed was measured in the skin region, subcutaneous adipose tissue and parenchyma. cs estimates were on average 2.3% greater when using the Aixplorer compared to S2000 in vitro. In vivo, cs estimates were on average 43.7%, 36.3% and 49.9% significantly greater (p &lt;&lt; 0.01) when using the Aixplorer compared to S2000, for skin region, subcutaneous adipose tissue and parenchyma, respectively. In conclusion, despite relatively small differences between machines observed in vitro, large differences in absolute measures of shear wave speed measured were observed in vivo, which may prevent pooling of cross-machine data in clinical studies of the breast.</jats:p

Alisquireno : uma nova estratégia para o tratamento da psoríase?

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Michel Fleith OtukiCo-orientadora : Profª Drª Daniela Cabrini de AlmeidaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia. Defesa: Curitiba, 26/08/2013Inclui referênciasResumo: A psoriase e uma doenca inflamatoria complexa mediada por diversos fatores, incluindo citocinas inflamatorias como o fator de necrose tumoral (TNF)-ƒ¿ e IL-6, entretanto os mecanismos envolvidos nao sao completamente compreendidos. A angiotensina II (ANG II), o peptideo ativo do sistema renina-angiotensina (RAS), pode estar envolvido em processos inflamatorios, como a cicatrizacao de feridas, a proliferacao e reparacao celular. Investigamos o efeito da inibicao da renina no processo de proliferacao de queratinocitos por alisquireno, um farmaco inibidor da renina. Atraves de um modelo de inflamacao cutanea em camundongos, foram analisadas as respostas anti-inflamatorias e antiproliferativa apos o tratamento por via oral com 30, 100 e 300 mg/kg de alisquireno. Observou-se uma reducao dos niveis de citocinas, TNF-ƒ¿ e IL-6, e da atividade da mieloperoxidase (MPO), porem nao houve efeito sobre o edema da orelha. O tratamento com 30 mg/kg de alisquireno foi capaz de reduzir os niveis de PCNA em analise de imunohistoquimica e Western blot. Os testes de toxicidade demonstraram que tratamentos com alisquireno nao promoveram alteracoes em parametros como pressao sistolica, atrofia da pele, atrofia adrenal, peso do timo e linfonodo. Estes resultados demonstraram que o alisquireno e um agente anti-proliferativo eficaz no modelo experimental de inflamacao cutanea em camundongos o que sugere que pode ser eficaz na terapia de doencas hiperproliferativas e inflamatorias da pele, como a psoriase. Palavras-chave: Psoriase, Renina, Proliferacao de queratinocitos, PCNA, AlisquirenoAbstract: Psoriasis is a complex inflammatory disease mediated by several factors, including cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? and IL-6, but the mechanisms involved are not completely understood. Angiotensin II (ANG II), the most active peptide of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS), may be involved in the inflammatory processes, like wound healing, cell proliferation and tissue repair. We investigated the effect of renin inhibition in the process of keratinocytes proliferation by Aliskiren, a renin inhibitor drug. In a chronic skin inflammation model in mice, it was analyzed the anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative responses after orally treatments with 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg of aliskiren. It was observed a reduction of cytokines levels, TNF-? and IL-6, and of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, but no effect was found on ear thickness. The treatment with 30 mg/kg of aliskiren was able to reduce PCNA levels in immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Toxicity tests had shown that aliskiren treatments promoted no change in parameters like alterations in the systolic blood pressure, skin atrophy, adrenal atrophy, in the thymus and lymph node weight. These results showed that aliskiren is an effective antiproliferative agent in the experimental model of chronic skin inflammation in mice which suggests that it could beeffective in the therapy of inflammatory and hyperproliferative skin disorders, such as psoriasis. Key-words: Psoriasis, Renin, Skin proliferation, PCNA, Alisquire