Testicular torsion: preliminary results of in vitro cell stimulation using chorionic gonadotropin

Testicular torsion is a pathology that occurs in young males generally before the age of 25. Despite surgery representing the only effective approach, there is still a need to identify a marker that can predict whether a preserved testicle will be functional. In addition, no therapeutic approach is currently considered in the post-operative phase. Through an approach based on the in vitro culture of a tissue strictly linked to the testicle, the gubernaculum, we defined the healthy state of the organ and the possible responsiveness to a therapy used in the andrology field, chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Firstly, we optimized a protocol to obtain viable cells starting from a small piece of gubernacular tissue harvested during surgery with the aim to amplify cells in vitro. Intriguingly, only for a patient whose testicle had been removed during surgery due to an excessive necrotic area, gubernacular cells were not able to grow in culture. These data support the possibility of exploiting the gubernaculum to evaluate the healthy state of the testicle. Then, as we demonstrate that gubernacular cells express a luteinizing hormone receptor, to which hCG is specific, we analyzed the cellular response to hCG treatment on in vitro cultured cells derived from patients affected by testicular torsion. Our study opens the way for the possibility of evaluating testicle wellbeing after derotation through in vitro culture of a small piece of gubernaculum together with predicting the response to the treatment with hCG, which can have a positive effect on cell proliferation and vascularization

Lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia and their impact on quality of life

LUTS is an acronym that refers to symptoms affecting the lower urinary tract, which are very common in elderly subjects (between 60 and 70%), and often associated with, but not always caused by, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). BPH is a chronic condition characterized by an increase in the number of cells, particularly in the transition area of the prostate. BPH involves a compression of the surrounding tissues, consequently obstructing vescical voiding. Nycturia and urgency represent the most prevalent symptoms and those with the greatest impact on quality of life measured as urinary-specific health-related quality. The prevalence of BPH is directly proportional to age; therefore, the absolute number of subjects affected is growing throughout the world. BPH is one of the most common medical conditions affecting those over 50. The overall cost for the diagnosis and treatment of BPH-related LUTS, in the US, has been estimated at approximately 1.1 billion US$/year, compared to total annual expenditure for urological conditions of some 9 billion and this cost continues to increase. The quick prostate test, which was developed by the Italian Urology Society (SIU), is an easy to use instrument that can be utilized in first-level screening for evaluation of the male population with LUTS. This test can be used both in patients not on pharmacological treatment and as a therapy-monitoring instrument. A positive response to one of the questions is sufficient for requesting a more in-depth investigation, which may provide indications on the therapeutic strategy to be taken

Divergent roles of mitochondria dynamics in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive tumors; it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is hardly treatable. These issues are strictly linked to the absence of early diagnostic markers and the low efficacy of treatment approaches. Recently, the study of the metabolic alterations in cancer cells has opened the way to important findings that can be exploited to generate new potential therapies. Within this scenario, mitochondria represent important organelles within which many essential functions are necessary for cell survival, including some key reactions involved in energy metabolism. These organelles remodel their shape by dividing or fusing themselves in response to cellular needs or stimuli. Interestingly, many authors have shown that mitochondrial dynamic equilibrium is altered in many different tumor types. However, up to now, it is not clear whether PDAC cells preferentially take advantage of fusion or fission processes since some studies reported a wide range of different results. This review described the role of both mitochondria arrangement processes, i.e., fusion and fission events, in PDAC, showing that a preference for mitochondria fragmentation could sustain tumor needs. In addition, we also highlight the importance of considering the metabolic arrangement and mitochondria assessment of cancer stem cells, which represent the most aggressive tumor cell type that has been shown to have distinctive metabolic features to that of differentiated tumor cells

Mitochondrial Dynamics as Potential Modulators of Hormonal Therapy Effectiveness in Males

Worldwide the incidence of andrological diseases is rising every year and, together with it, also the interest in them is increasing due to their strict association with disorders of the reproductive system, including impairment of male fertility, alterations of male hormones production, and/or sexual function. Prevention and early diagnosis of andrological dysfunctions have long been neglected, with the consequent increase in the incidence and prevalence of diseases otherwise easy to prevent and treat if diagnosed early. In this review, we report the latest evidence of the effect of andrological alterations on fertility potential in both young and adult patients, with a focus on the link between gonadotropins' mechanism of action and mitochondria. Indeed, mitochondria are highly dynamic cellular organelles that undergo rapid morphological adaptations, conditioning a multitude of aspects, including their size, shape, number, transport, cellular distribution, and, consequently, their function. Since the first step of steroidogenesis takes place in these organelles, we consider that mitochondria dynamics might have a possible role in a plethora of signaling cascades, including testosterone production. In addition, we also hypothesize a central role of mitochondria fission boost on the decreased response to the commonly administrated hormonal therapy used to treat urological disease in pediatric and adolescent patients as well as infertile adults

Experimental and theoretical study of Co sorption in clay montmorillonites

Montmorillonite (MMT) clays are 2:1 layered structures which in natural state may allocate different hydrated cations such as M-nH2O (M =Na, Ca, Fe, etc) in its interlayer space. Depending on the capability for ion sorption, these materials are interesting for environmental remediation. In this work we experimentally study the Co sorption in a natural Na-MMT using UV-visible spectrometry and XRD on semi-oriented samples, and then analyze the sorption ability of this clay by means of ab initio calculation performed on pristine MMT. The structural properties of Na-MMT and Co-adsorbed MMT, and the hyperfine parameters at different atomic sites were analyzed and compared with the experimental ones for the first, and for the case of the hyperfine parameters, presented for the first time for the last. The theoretical predictions based on total energy considerations confirm that Co incorporation replacing Na is energetically favorable. Also, the basal spacing d001 experimentally obtained is well reproduced.Fil: Gil Rebaza, Arles Víctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Montes, María Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Taylor, Marcela Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Errico, Leonardo Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Roberto Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; Argentin

Surgical management of abnormal uterine bleeding in fertile age women

Abnormal uterine bleeding is a common gynecological disease and represents one of the most frequent reasons for hospital admission to a specialist unit, often requiring further surgical treatment. Following the so-called PALM-COEIN system we will attempt to further clarify the surgical treatments available today. The first group (PALM) is characterized by structural lesions, which may be more appropriately treated by means of surgical management. Although hysterectomy remains the definitive and decisive choice, there are many alternative techniques available. These minimally invasive procedures offer the opportunity for a more conservative approach. Precise and accurate counseling facilitates better patient selection, based on the patient's desires, age and disease type, allowing treatment to be individually tailored to each woman

Neurofibromin Deficiency and Extracellular Matrix Cooperate to Increase Transforming Potential through FAK-Dependent Signaling

Simple SummaryNeurofibromatosis type 1 is a genetic disease that predisposes to tumors of the nervous system, primarily the neurofibroma. Plexiform neurofibromas (Pnfs) are of the greatest concern because of location, size, and frequent progression to malignancy. Although research is making great progress, the lack of in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving neoplastic progression results in the absence of prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets. We document that cell-cell cooperativity and the dynamics of the extracellular matrix play important roles in the growth and transformation of Pnf cells, directly through the cooperation of RAS and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling. In turn, we found that treatment of Pnf cells with both MEK and FAK inhibitors is effective in abolishing the transforming ability of these cells.Plexiform neurofibromas (Pnfs) are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors that are major features of the human genetic syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Pnfs are derived from Schwann cells (SCs) undergoing loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the NF1 locus in an NF1(+/-) milieu and thus are variably lacking in the key Ras-controlling protein, neurofibromin (Nfn). As these SCs are embedded in a dense desmoplastic milieu of stromal cells and abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM), cell-cell cooperativity (CCC) and the molecular microenvironment play essential roles in Pnf progression towards a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). The complexity of Pnf biology makes treatment challenging. The only approved drug, the MEK inhibitor Selumetinib, displays a variable and partial therapeutic response. Here, we explored ECM contributions to the growth of cells lacking Nfn. In a 3D in vitro culture, NF1 loss sensitizes cells to signals from a Pnf-mimicking ECM through focal adhesion kinase (FAK) hyperactivation. This hyperactivation correlated with phosphorylation of the downstream effectors, Src, ERK, and AKT, and with colony formation. Expression of the GAP-related domain of Nfn only partially decreased activation of this signaling pathway and only slowed down 3D colony growth of cells lacking Nfn. However, combinatorial treatment with both the FAK inhibitor Defactinib (VS-6063) and Selumetinib (AZD6244) fully suppressed colony growth. These observations pave the way for a new combined therapeutic strategy simultaneously interfering with both intracellular signals and the interplay between the various tumor cells and the ECM

Radioactividad, medioambiente y espectroscopía gamma : De la teoría al laboratorio

Este libro, destinado a docentes y estudiantes de grado y postgrado de Ciencias Exactas e Ingeniería, pretende aportar al estudio de la detección de la radiación gamma (γ), presentando la teoría, la implementación experimental y su aplicación al estudio de matrices ambientales. Se discuten los detectores más comúnmente empleados y el sistema electrónico de conformación y procesamiento de señales. Finalmente, se proponen, desarrollan y analizan paso a paso experimentos de espectroscopía γ.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta