Gastric Cancer: The Times they are a-changin’

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Even though during these last decades gastric cancer incidence decreased in Western countries, it remains endemic and with a high incidence in Eastern countries. The survival in advanced and metastatic stage of gastric cancer is still very poor. Recently the Cancer Genoma Atlas Research Network identified four subtypes with different molecular profiles to classify gastric cancer in order to offer the optimal targeted therapies for pre-selected patients. Indeed, the key point is still the selection of patients for the right treatment, on basis of molecular tumor characterization. Since chemotherapy reached a plateau of efficacy for gastric cancer, the combination between cytotoxic therapy and biological agents gets a better prognosis and decreases chemotherapeutic toxicity. Currently, Trastuzumab in combination with platinum and fluorouracil is the only approved targeted therapy in the first line for c-erbB2 positive patients, whereas Ramucirumab is the only approved targeted agent for patients with metastatic gastric cancer. New perspectives for an effective treatment derived from the immunotherapeutic strategies. Here, we report an overview on gastric cancer treatments, with particular attention to recent advances in targeted therapies and in immunotherapeutic approach

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in bovines from intensive and extensive breeding interpretated by epidemiological cutoff values

Se estudió la “disminución de sensibilidad” o población “non-wild-type” (NWT) a diferentes antimicrobianos en 120 cepas de Escherichia coli, aisladas de materia fecal de bovinos de terminación aparentemente sanos, 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación intensiva (EI) y 60 cepas de bovinos de explotación extensiva (EE). Los antimicrobianos seleccionados son los frecuentemente utilizados en medicina veterinaria y humana. La sensibilidad antimicrobiana fue determinada por el método de concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) de dilución en agar. El criterio de interpretación fue establecido en base al punto de corte epidemiológico, epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF), epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) o wild type cutoff values (WCV). Las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas de EI mostraron “disminución de sensibilidad” a tres familias de antimicrobianos: aminoglucósidos, tetraciclinas y fluorquinolonas, mientras que las cepas aisladas de EE a la familia de quinolonas y fluorquinolonas, coincidiendo con los antimicrobianos más utilizados en la explotación animal. Además se hallaron 16/60 cepas pertenecientes a la población NWT o con “disminución de sensibilidad” a cefotaxima aisladas en animales de EE.“Reduced susceptibility” or “non-wild-type” population (NWT) to different antimicrobial in 120 Escherichia coli strains, isolated from finishing bovines faeces of apparently healthy animals, 60 strains from intensive breeding bovines (EI) and 60 from extensive breeding (EE) bovines were studied. The selected antimicrobials are frequently used in veterinary and human medicine. The minimal inhibitory concentration was determined by agar dilution method. Interpretative criteria on the basis of epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) epidemiological cutoff values (ECV) or wild type cutoff values (WCV) were established. Escherichia coli strains isolated from EI showed “reduced susceptibility” to three antimicrobial families: aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluorquinolones, whereas strains isolated from EE showed “reduced susceptibility” to quinolones and fluorquinolones families, coinciding with the antimicrobials most used in animal farms. In addition, 16/60 strains belonging to NWT population or with “reduced susceptibility” for cefotaxime isolated from EE animals were found.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Shilnikov Lemma for a nondegenerate critical manifold of a Hamiltonian system

We prove an analog of Shilnikov Lemma for a normally hyperbolic symplectic critical manifold $M\subset H^{-1}(0)$ of a Hamiltonian system. Using this result, trajectories with small energy $H=\mu>0$ shadowing chains of homoclinic orbits to $M$ are represented as extremals of a discrete variational problem, and their existence is proved. This paper is motivated by applications to the Poincar\'e second species solutions of the 3 body problem with 2 masses small of order $\mu$. As $\mu\to 0$, double collisions of small bodies correspond to a symplectic critical manifold of the regularized Hamiltonian system

Hydrogen and Carbon Nanotubes from Pyrolysis-Catalysis of Waste Plastics: A Review

More than 27 million tonnes of waste plastics are generated in Europe each year representing a considerable potential resource. There has been extensive research into the production of liquid fuels and aromatic chemicals from pyrolysis-catalysis of waste plastics. However, there is less work on the production of hydrogen from waste plastics via pyrolysis coupled with catalytic steam reforming. In this paper, the different reactor designs used for hydrogen production from waste plastics are considered and the influence of different catalysts and process parameters on the yield of hydrogen from different types of waste plastics are reviewed. Waste plastics have also been investigated as a source of hydrocarbons for the generation of carbon nanotubes via the chemical vapour deposition route. The influences on the yield and quality of carbon nanotubes derived from waste plastics are reviewed in relation to the reactor designs used for production, catalyst type used for carbon nanotube growth and the influence of operational parameters

Adherence issues related to sublingual immunotherapy as perceived by allergists

Objectives: Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a viable alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma, and is widely used in clinical practice in many European countries. The clinical efficacy of SLIT has been established in a number of clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, because SLIT is self-administered by patients without medical supervision, the degree of patient adherence with treatment is still a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception by allergists of issues related to SLIT adherence. Methods: We performed a questionnaire-based survey of 296 Italian allergists, based on the adherence issues known from previous studies. The perception of importance of each item was assessed by a VAS scale ranging from 0 to 10. Results: Patient perception of clinical efficacy was considered the most important factor (ranked 1 by 54% of allergists), followed by the possibility of reimbursement (ranked 1 by 34%), and by the absence of side effects (ranked 1 by 21%). Patient education, regular follow-up, and ease of use of SLIT were ranked first by less than 20% of allergists. Conclusion: These findings indicate that clinical efficacy, cost, and side effects are perceived as the major issues influencing patient adherence to SLIT, and that further improvement of adherence is likely to be achieved by improving the patient information provided by prescribers. © 2010 Scurati et al, publisher and licensee Dove Medical Press Ltd