Promotion of proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by LncRNA00673 based on the targeted-regulation of notch signaling pathway

we read with great interest the paper by Dr. Chen et al1, recently published in European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences and titled ‘‘Promotion of proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by LncRNA00673 based on the targeted-regulation of notch signaling pathway’’. Authors concluded that lncRNA00673 is highly expressed and may be a potential target for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, according to authors, it can promote the proliferation and metastasis of HCC by the regulation of Notch signaling pathway. We congratulate the authors for their interesting work

Amyloid and allorecognition in the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri.

Allorecognition, i.e., the ability of intraspecific nonself recognition is widely distributed among colonial, sessile marine organisms in the form of colony specificity. In the cosmopolitan compound ascidian Botryllus schlosseri, colony specificity is controlled by a highly polymorphic Fu/HC locus: two colonies sharing at least one alleleat the Fu/HC locus can fuse into a chimeric colony; if no alleles are shared, a typical inflammatory reaction occurs, with the recruitment of a specific hemocyte type, the cytotoxic morula cells (MCs), inside the tips of the ampullae (the blind termini ofthe tunic vasculature) extending towards the alien colony, their extravasation in the tunic and their final degranulation. As a consequence of allorecognition, necrotic, melanic spots (points of rejection; PORs) form along the contact border, due to the release, by MCs, of their granular content, mainly represented by quinones, polyphenols and the enzyme phenoloxidase (PO), upon the perception of the allogeneic humoral factors diffusing from the alien colony through the partially fused tunics. It is remarkable that the deposition of melanin and the cell death is confined to the immediate outside of the ampullar tips, suggesting that the diffusion of PO and the products of its activity are, in some way, prevented in order to limit cytotoxicity to the immediate neighbourhood of the contact region. In this context, we looked for factors released by MCs that could limit the spreading of cytotoxicity and melanisation. We found that MCs share with vertebrate melanocytes similar packaging of melanin precursors, entrapped in a 3Dscaffold of amyloid fibrils. They contribute to form the electron dense content of MC granules that, after stimulation, flake off and is released in the surrounding medium. Released amyloid fibrils limit the diffusion of the produced melanin. The search for genes and factor controlling both melanogenesis and amyloidogenesis, revealed an evolutionary conserved machinery involved in the processes and an unexpected cross talk between the two Botryllus immunocyte types, i.e., phagocytes and MCs. Furthermore, this work confirms the physiological role of amyloid in tunicate immunity

Rapamycin and HIV Replication in Liver Transplant Recipients

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ISOLATED CAUDATE LOBECTOMY FOR SPIEGEL LOBE NEOPLASMS

Introduction: Caudate lobe, or segment 1 of the liver, is the segment of the liver that occupies the space between the hilar plate and the retrohepatic vena cava. Its peculiar embryology accounts for the unique vascular and biliary anatomy. The location among three major vascular structures (the hepato-duodenal ligament, the vena cava and the hepatic veins cranially), together with its characteristic hypertrophy in case of increased portal system pressure, makes the caudate lobe as one of the most challenging liver segments. Caudate lobe resections for tumor may be performed as isolated segmental resections or associated to major hepatic resections, when other liver segments are involved. We describe here our 14-years experience of 7 cases of isolated caudate lobe resection for tumor.Patients and Methods: From October 2000 to December 2014 826 patients underwent liver resection at our institution, of which 286 (34.6%) minor resection (wedge resection, sub-segmental resection and segmental resection), 200 (24.2%) right hepatectomy, 260 (31.4%) left hepatectomy, 20 (2.4%) left trisegmentectomy and 60 (7.2%) patient right trisegmentectomy. Of those, 45 (8.3%) had a concomitant caudate lobe resection. In seven patients (0.8%), the tumor was confined to the caudate lobe and an isolated caudate lobe resection was performed. The indication was as follow: 2 patients had Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 3 patients had metastasis (colorectal in two cases and from adrenal gland in one case), 1 adenoma, and one presented with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma. For these patients we analyzed intraoperative data, post operative course and survival.Results: Five (71.4%) out of 7 patients are still alive after a mean follow up of 8.4+/-5 years. Two patients died of disease recurrence after 7 months and 8 years, respectively. The mean operating time was 304.8+/-109.7 minutes and the mean estimated blood loss was 266.6+/-123.8 ml. There were no intra-operative or post-operative complication. The mean Intensive Care Unit stay was 1.2+/-0.7 days. Each lesion was localized into the Spiegel lobe, and each patient had at the pathology specimen only one nodule. In all cases the margins were free of tumor.Conclusions: Isolated caudate lobectomy is a difficult surgical procedure that may be associated with significant intra-operative bleeding and dangerous vascular and biliary injuries. In spite of these difficulties, this procedure can be considered the gold standard treatment for any lesions, benign or malignant, involving and confined to the Spiegel Lobe, especially when is crucial to preserve the remnant parenchyma

Improving Outcomes Defending Patient Safety: The Learning Journey in Robotic Liver Resections

Background. While laparoscopy is currently adopted for hepatic resections, robotic approaches to the liver have not gained wide acceptance. We decided to analyze the learning curve in the field of robotic liver surgery comparing short-term outcomes between the first and the second half of our series. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed demographics and clinical data of patients who underwent robotic liver resection at our institution from July 2014 through September 2017. 60 patients diagnosed with primary or secondary liver neoplasms or hydatid disease were included in this study. ASA PS >3, heart failure, respiratory insufficiency, and general contraindication to pneumoperitoneum were exclusion criteria. Results. 60 patients were included. We observed a statistically significant decrease in operative time (p<0.001), intraoperative blood loss (p=0.01), and postoperative complications (p<0.001) after 30 cases. From the interpretation of the CUSUM curve, the time of operation appears to be significantly reduced after the first 30 operations. Discussion. This is the first European analysis of the learning curve for robotic liver resection in an HPB and liver transplant referral center. However, more studies are needed to confirm such results outside a HPB referral center. This is crucial to develop formal credentialing protocols for both junior and senior surgeons

Clinical implications of malnutrition in the management of patients with pancreatic cancer: Introducing the concept of the nutritional oncology board

Pancreatic cancer represents a very challenging disease, with an increasing incidence and an extremely poor prognosis. Peculiar features of this tumor entity are represented by pancreatic exocrine insufficiency and an early and intense nutritional imbalance, leading to the highly prevalent and multifactorial syndrome known as cancer cachexia. Recently, also the concept of sarcopenic obesity has emerged, making the concept of pancreatic cancer malnutrition even more multifaceted and complex. Overall, these nutritional derangements play a pivotal role in contributing to the dismal course of this malignancy. However, their relevance is often underrated and their assessment is rarely applied in clinical daily practice with relevant negative impact for patients’ outcome in neoadjuvant, surgical, and metastatic settings. The proper detection and management of pancreatic cancer-related malnutrition syndromes are of primary importance and deserve a specific and multidisciplinary (clinical nutrition, oncology, etc.) approach to improve survival, but also the quality of life. In this context, the introduction of a “Nutritional Oncology Board” in routine daily practice, aimed at assessing an early systematic screening of patients and at implementing nutritional support from the time of disease diagnosis onward seems to be the right path to take

Tropospheric Ozone In A Mountain Forest Area: Spatial Distribution And Its Relation With Meteorology And Emission Sources

Biological injuries to forest ecosystems in two lateral valleys of Valtellina (Italy) have been studied. The selected areas are characterized by different forest novel decline symptoms and ozone concentration levels. Analyses of meteorological and air quality data collected by fixed and mobile stations located in the two valleys are presented. Ozone concentration has been measured both by passive samplers and continues analyzers and the ozone vertical gradient in one valley has been determined. In order to investigate the relation between emission sources, ambient ozone levels and plant biological injuries, a modeling research project has been started. As preliminary results the wind field obtained by the application of two diagnostic meteorological models, MINERVE and CALMET, and the computation of the biogenic emissions are presented. Some examples of spatial distribution and temporal trend of the most important pollutants emitted by plants are discussed

ARAquá: software para avaliação de risco ambiental de agrotóxico.

O software ARAquá foi desenvolvido para auxiliar as avaliações de riscos ambientais de agrotóxicos, considerando as possíveis contaminações de corpos d?água superficiais e subterrâneos, através da comparação de suas concentrações estimadas em cenários de uso agrícola com parâmetros de qualidade de água. O programa foi desenvolvido com o Ambiente de Desenvolvimento Integrado DELPHI 7, sendo PASCAL a linguagem de programação. O software utiliza dados referentes ao local, solo e agrotóxico para a realização de seus cálculos. Para executar o aplicativo é necessário um sistema operacional da plataforma Windows e um computador com uma configuração básica de hardware. Nesse trabalho a operacionalidade do ARAquá é exemplificada com dados de entrada pré-cadastrados, que seguem com o software.bitstream/item/35294/1/boletim6ATUAL.pd

Life in harsh environments : carabid and spider trait types and functional diversity on a debris-covered glacier and along its foreland

1. Patterns of species richness and species assemblage composition of ground-dwelling arthropods in primary successions along glacier forelands are traditionally described using a taxonomic approach. On the other hand, the functional trait approach could ensure a better characterisation of their colonisation strategies in these types of habitat. 2. The functional trait approach was applied to investigate patterns of functional diversity and life-history traits of ground beetles and spiders on an alpine debris-covered glacier and along its forefield in order to describe their colonisation strategies. 3. Ground beetles and spiders were sampled at different successional stages, representing five stages of deglaciation. 4. The results show that the studied glacier hosts ground beetle and spider assemblages that are mainly characterised by the following traits: walking colonisers, ground hunters and small-sized species. These traits are typical of species living in cold, wet, and gravelly habitats. The diversity of functional traits in spiders increased along the succession, and in both carabids and spiders, life-history traits follow the \u2018addition and persistence model\u2019. Accordingly, there is no turnover but there is an addition of new traits and a variation in their proportion within each species assemblage along the succession. The distribution of ground beetles and spiders along the glacier foreland and on the glacier seems to be driven by dispersal ability and foraging strategy. 5. The proposed functional approach improves knowledge of the adaptive strategies of ground-dwelling arthropods colonising glacier surfaces and recently deglaciated terrains, which represent landforms quickly changing due to global warming