Molecular targets and oxidative stress biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex and heterogeneous tumor with multiple genetic aberrations. Several molecular pathways involved in the regulation of proliferation and cell death are implicated in the hepatocarcinogenesis. The major etiological factors for HCC are both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus infection (HCV)

Clinical Subtypes of Depression Are Associated with Specific Metabolic Parameters and Circadian Endocrine Profiles in Women: The Power Study

Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been associated with adverse medical consequences, including cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Patients with MDD may be classified as having melancholic, atypical, or undifferentiated features. The goal of the present study was to assess whether these clinical subtypes of depression have different endocrine and metabolic features and consequently, varying medical outcomes.Premenopausal women, ages 21 to 45 years, with MDD (N = 89) and healthy controls (N = 44) were recruited for a prospective study of bone turnover. Women with MDD were classified as having melancholic (N = 51), atypical (N = 16), or undifferentiated (N = 22) features. Outcome measures included: metabolic parameters, body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), and 24 hourly sampling of plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), cortisol, and leptin.Compared with control subjects, women with undifferentiated and atypical features of MDD exhibited greater BMI, waist/hip ratio, and whole body and abdominal fat mass. Women with undifferentiated MDD characteristics also had higher lipid and fasting glucose levels in addition to a greater prevalence of low BMD at the femoral neck compared to controls. Elevated ACTH levels were demonstrated in women with atypical features of depression, whereas higher mean 24-hour leptin levels were observed in the melancholic subgroup.Pre-menopausal women with various features of MDD exhibit metabolic, endocrine, and BMD features that may be associated with different health consequences.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00006180

Safety and Immunogenicity of an HIV-1 Gag DNA Vaccine with or without IL-12 and/or IL-15 Plasmid Cytokine Adjuvant in Healthy, HIV-1 Uninfected Adults

DNA vaccines are a promising approach to vaccination since they circumvent the problem of vector-induced immunity. DNA plasmid cytokine adjuvants have been shown to augment immune responses in small animals and in macaques.We performed two first in human HIV vaccine trials in the US, Brazil and Thailand of an RNA-optimized truncated HIV-1 gag gene (p37) DNA derived from strain HXB2 administered either alone or in combination with dose-escalation of IL-12 or IL-15 plasmid cytokine adjuvants. Vaccinations with both the HIV immunogen and cytokine adjuvant were generally well-tolerated and no significant vaccine-related adverse events were identified. A small number of subjects developed asymptomatic low titer antibodies to IL-12 or IL-15. Cellular immunogenicity following 3 and 4 vaccinations was poor, with response rates to gag of 4.9%/8.7% among vaccinees receiving gag DNA alone, 0%/11.5% among those receiving gag DNA+IL-15, and no responders among those receiving DNA+high dose (1500 ug) IL-12 DNA. However, after three doses, 44.4% (4/9) of vaccinees receiving gag DNA and intermediate dose (500 ug) of IL-12 DNA demonstrated a detectable cellular immune response.This combination of HIV gag DNA with plasmid cytokine adjuvants was well tolerated. There were minimal responses to HIV gag DNA alone, and no apparent augmentation with either IL-12 or IL-15 plasmid cytokine adjuvants. Despite the promise of DNA vaccines, newer formulations or methods of delivery will be required to increase their immunogenicity.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00115960 NCT00111605

Preoperative radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer: risks and complications?

Adjuvant radiotherapy in advanced rectal cancer is currently considered of interest: preoperative radiotherapy in particular seems to provide better results. However, doubts in its use arise from fear of technical difficulties at surgery and increase of complications. In Authors' opinion, though, preoperative radiotherapy associated with perineal omentoplasty represents a real progress in the management of rectal cancer. Preliminary experience supports this feeling

Metachronous Paget’s disease of the breast: case report

Paget breast disease is a kind of intraductal carcinoma that through an intracanalicular diffusion invades the basal epidermical layer,reaching the areola and nipple, producing a typical erythematous desquamative eczematous-like lesion. This neoplasia can remain undetected for a long time and inadequately treated as a dermatological affection. Synchronous or metachronous lesions are very uncommon. Surgical choice is conditioned by the presence of a tumor below the epidermical lesion, by its dimensions, and by the possible lymph node involvement. Surgical therapy can be radical or conservative. From our experience we think that lesion biopsy is always necessary to formulate a correct diagnosis and to schedule an appropriate therapeutic approach. In our case, a biopsy was performed first, then on the basis of the frozen section analysis a radical mastectomy with axillary third level lymph nodes dissection, because of the large dimensions of thelesion and the previous history of a methachronous lesio

Trattamento conservativo delle fistole perianali con plug in matrice extracellulare biologica e colla di fibrina umana: esperienza preliminare

Gli Autori, sulla base di una lunga esperienza clinica con colla di fibrina umana nel campo della chirurgia generale, mettono a confronto due diverse matrici extracellulari acellularizzate (collagene) - di natura suina l’una (Surgisis®), equina l’altra (TissueDura®) - compendiate da colla di fibrina umana e applicate durante l’intervento di apposizione del plug collagenico, alcune volte in postoperatorio, per ottenere la guarigione di fistole perianali. La matrice extracellulare collagenica fornisce, secondo il rationale ipotizzato, una struttura tridimensionale ottimale per l’impianto fibroblastico e la neoangiogenesi, quindi per la “fibrotizzazione” del tragitto fistoloso con la sua conseguente chiusura. I risultati incoraggianti per le fistole transfinteriche semplici e una tecnica di facile applicazione spingono ad approfondire la ricerca su numeri statisticamente significativi

Treating rhinophyma: A case report illustrating decortication/vaporization with an 808-nm diode laser

AbstractRhinophyma is a skin disease that is not only disfiguring but can also have a negative impact on respiratory function by causing nasal obstruction. There is a wide range of techniques used in the surgical management of rhinophyma, including laser treatment, all of which involve tissue ablation. With regard to the laser therapy, there is no consensus as to which laser is most effective. The authors present a case report to illustrate their method of treating rhinophyma with an 808-nm diode laser, which included the use of exogenous pigment to define the target area and the application of human fibrin glue to obtain good hemostasis and wound healing and prevent infection