Biocomposites based on poly(butylene succinate) and curaua: Mechanical and morphological properties

Abstract Biocomposites based on poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and curaua fibers have been produced by compression molding, and investigated as a function of fiber length and amount. Mechanical tests, water uptake and morphology studies were carried out in order to assess the composite features according to the characteristics of the reinforcing agents. It turns out that the impact and flexural strengths increase with fiber content. Moreover, the fiber length, varying from 1 to 4 cm for the composite reinforced with 20 wt% of fiber, influences impact strength, which is higher for shorter than for longer fibers. However, flexural strength is not greatly influenced by the length of the fibers. Water uptake studies reveal a higher sensitivity of the material to fiber content rather than fiber size. Biocomposites, which are characterized by enhanced mechanical properties as compared to PBS, can have different applications, for example in rigid packaging or interior car parts

Primary small cell carcinoma of the ureter: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract Rationale: Primitive small cell carcinoma of the ureter is extremely rare, in this case report is meticulously described its aggressive clinical course and the pathological clues that help with the diagnosis. Also, a detailed table with the clinico-pathological features of analogous case reports in literature is provided. Patient concerns: A 79-year-old female presented with gross hematuria and flank pain. Diagnoses: Small cell carcinoma of the ureter. The surgical specimen showed a mixed histology of small cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma; the common neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD56) were positive, and vimentin and thyroid transcription factor 1 were negative. The patient had an advanced stage at presentation with regional nodes involvement (pT3N1). Interventions: Segmental ureterectomy was performed but it was only possible to administer 1 cycle of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy due to the rapid decline of her clinical parameters. Outcomes: The disease rapidly spread locally and metastasized

Hepatic adrenal rest tumor in a patient with multifactorial liver cirrhosis: a case report with CT and MRI findings and pathologic correlation

AbstractBackgroundAdrenal rest tumor is an ectopic collection of adrenocortical cells in an extra-adrenal site, more frequently located around the kidney, retroperitoneum, spermatic cord, para-testicular region and broad ligament, but very rarely occurring also in the liver. Hepatic adrenal rest tumor poses a diagnostic challenge in differentiating it from hepatocellular carcinoma, particularly in a cirrhotic liver.Case presentationAn 83-years-old male was referred to our hospital by his family doctor for hepatological evaluation due to multifactorial liver cirrhosis. Ultrasound revealed a centimetric hypoechoic nodule in the VI hepatic segment in the context of a liver with signs of cirrhosis and steatosis. The patient first underwent MRI and then CT, which showed a fat containing focal liver lesion in the subcapsular location of the right lobe, strictly adjacent to the homolateral adrenal gland. The nodule was hypervascular in the arterial phase, washed out in the portal-venous and transitional phases, resulting hypointense in the hepato-biliary phase at MR imaging. In the suspicion of a hepatocellular carcinoma, the nodule was surgically removed, and the patient's postoperative course was unremarkable. The final histopathological diagnosis was of adrenal rest tumor of the liver.ConclusionsHepatic adrenal rest tumor is an extremely rare hepatic tumor, often without any clinical manifestation, that can also occur in the cirrhotic liver as in our case. Although there are not specific imaging findings, the possible diagnosis of HART should be considered when we observe a well-defined lesion in the subcapsular location of the right lobe, with fat containing, hypervascularity after contrast medium injection and vascular supply from the right hepatic artery

A study protocol for the evaluation of occupational mutagenic/carcinogenic risks in subjects exposed to antineoplastic drugs: a multicentric project

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Some industrial hygiene studies have assessed occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs; other epidemiological investigations have detected various toxicological effects in exposure groups labeled with the job title. In no research has the same population been studied both environmentally and epidemiologically. The protocol of the epidemiological study presented here uses an integrated environmental and biological monitoring approach. The aim is to assess in hospital nurses preparing and/or administering therapy to cancer patients the current level of occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, DNA and chromosome damage as cancer predictive effects, and the association between the two.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>About 80 healthy non-smoking female nurses, who job it is to prepare or handle antineoplastic drugs, and a reference group of about 80 healthy non-smoking female nurses not occupationally exposed to chemicals will be examined simultaneously in a cross-sectional study. All the workers will be recruited from five hospitals in northern and central Italy after their informed consent has been obtained.</p> <p>Evaluation of surface contamination and dermal exposure to antineoplastic drugs will be assessed by determining cyclophosphamide on selected surfaces (wipes) and on the exposed nurses' clothes (pads). The concentration of unmetabolized cyclophosphamide as a biomarker of internal dose will be measured in end-shift urine samples from exposed nurses.</p> <p>Biomarkers of effect and susceptibility will be assessed in exposed and unexposed nurses: urinary concentration of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine; DNA damage detected using the single-cell microgel electrophoresis (comet) assay in peripheral white blood cells; micronuclei and chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Genetic polymorphisms for enzymes involved in metabolic detoxification (i.e. glutathione <it>S</it>-transferases) will also be analysed.</p> <p>Using standardized questionnaires, occupational exposure will be determined in exposed nurses only, whereas potential confounders (medicine consumption, lifestyle habits, diet and other non-occupational exposures) will be assessed in both groups of hospital workers.</p> <p>Statistical analysis will be performed to ascertain the association between occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs and biomarkers of DNA and chromosome damage, after taking into account the effects of individual genetic susceptibility, and the presence of confounding exposures.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The findings of the study will be useful in updating prevention procedures for handling antineoplastic drugs.</p

Ruolo del microRNA-21 e della fibrosi miocardica in pazienti con stenosi valvolare aortica severa: studio di correlazione plasmatica e tissutale

La stenosi aortica calcifico degenerativa rappresenta la forma più comune di patologia valvolare in paesi occidentali, sopratutto in soggetti anziani. A seguito della progressiva ostruzione al passaggio di sangue dal ventricolo sinistro all'aorta, si verifica sovraccarico pressorio con conseguente sviluppo di fibrosi miocardica, correlato sfavorevole della stenosi valvolare aortica severa. La valutazione non invasiva della fibrosi miocardica mediante 2D-speckle tracking può avere un ruolo nella dimostrazione di danno miocardico subclinico e nella definizione delle alterazioni meccaniche correlate alla stenosi valvolare aortica severa. In questi pazienti si nota anche un’iperespressione di microRNA 21 tissutale e plasmatico, molecola implicata nella fibrogenesi miocardica in modelli murini ed animali. Lo scopo di questo studio è quello di dimostrare la relazione tra indici di deformazione miocardiaca (valutati mediante metodica 2-D speckle-tracking, STI), fibrosi miocardica (valutata medainte biopsia endo – miocardica) e i livelli di espressione plasmatici e tissutali di microRNA 21 in pazienti affetti da stenosi valvolare aortica severa sintomatica e frazione di eiezione preservata, e di documentare il potenziale ruolo di microRNA- 21 nella quantificazione della fibrosi miocardica. Conclusioni: la valutazione integrata di microRNA 21 plasmatico e di GLS al 2D-speckle tracking può essere utile nella valutazione non invasiva della fibrosi miocardica in fase preclinica nei pazienti con stenosi valvolare aortica severa, permettendo un potenziale miglioramento della stratificazione del rischio e del timing operatorio

Novità nella gestione chirurgica e molecolare del carcinoma sieroso di alto grado dell'ovaio

Il carcinoma sieroso ovarico di alto grado è una neoplasia altamente aggressiva che spesso si presenta , già al momento della diagnosi, con una malattia in stadio avanzato e circa la metà di queste pazienti presenta recidiva entro i cinque anni o progressione di malattia, sviluppando forme di chemio resistenza. La strategia terapeutica ottimale per la pazienti con carcinoma ovarico avanzato si basa sulla chirurgia citoriduttiva di prima linea, che ha lo scopo di raggiungere una citoriduzione completa, seguita da una chemioterapia sistemica. L’introduzione di un trattamento combinato di citoriduttiva aggressiva e chemioterapia ipertermica intraperitoneale intraoperatoria (HIPEC) ha dimostrato di migliorare l’aspettativa di vita delle pazienti con tumore sieroso ovarico avanzato, sia in termini di DFS si di OS. Le pazienti con carcinoma sieroso ovarico possono presentare mutazioni dei geni BRCA1-2, in base ai dati ad oggi disponibili, è stimato che i 2/3 delle varianti patogenetiche BRCA siano di tipo germinale e un 1/3 di tipo somatico. Mutazioni di BRCA, germinali o somatiche, rappresentano un marcatore predittivo di maggior sensibilità al trattamento con inibitori dell’ enzima Poli (ADP ribosio) polimerasi (PARP). Gli inibitori PARP sono molto efficaci nel trattamento della recidiva di carcinoma ovarico ed hanno rivoluzionato il trattamento delle pazienti con carcinoma ovarico recidivato e platino sensibile. I tre farmaci attualmente disponibili nella pratica clinica sono olaparib, niraparib e rucaparib. La ricerca delle mutazioni di BRCA1/2 su tessuto tumorale residuo in pazienti con carcinosi peritoneale da carcinoma sieroso ovarico di alto grado sottoposte a citoriduttiva aggressiva ed HIPEC può essere utile nella scelta di un eventuale trattamento con inibitore di PARP