Cutaneous Manifestations Associated with Diabetes Mellitus—A Retrospective Study

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the world’s most important health problems, affecting more than half a billion of the world’s population today, with an ever-increasing prevalence. Among the most common manifestations of diabetes are skin manifestations, with 30–70% of patients experiencing skin complications during the course of the disease. Conditions such as acanthosis nigricans, diabetic dermopathy, necrobiosis lipoidica, bacterial infections, fungal infections, skin xerosis, and metabolic prurigo are often associated with diabetes and often precede its diagnosis. We conducted a retrospective study on a group of 103 patients hospitalized between January 2018 and December 2022, in a clinic of a county hospital, using as criteria the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus complicated by cutaneous manifestations frequently associated with diabetes. The aim was to observe which are the most common manifestations and whether they correlate with data in the research literature. In the present study, manifestations such as diabetic foot (20% of patients), bacterial (35%) and fungal infections, and cutaneous xerosis (45%) were predominant. Often, the integumentary involvement may precede the diagnosis of the underlying disease. It is therefore very important to recognize, investigate and treat these manifestations as soon as possible

Urologic Cancer Molecular Biology

An adequate understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the most common urological cancers is necessary for a correct approach to diagnosis, precise treatment, but also for the follow-up of these patients. It is necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenic processes, the molecular pathways involved in this process, and also to describe the biomarkers useful for diagnosis but also for predictability, treatment, and natural history. In addition, it would be useful to describe a list of useful molecules currently under investigation as possible biomarkers to improve the income of cancer patients

Expression of β-Defensin-1 and 2 in HPV-Induced Epithelial Lesions

α, β, θ defensins represent a family of small antimicrobial peptides expressed predominantly by a series of cells, including neutrophils, monocytes-macrophages and epithelial cells that are involved in defense mechanisms against viral infections. β-defensins are the most widespread in this family being encountered in oral, digestive, urogenital mucosa and cutaneous lesions. β-defensins directly inactivate certain viruses, including the human papillomavirus(HPV) suppressing viral replication by altering target cells. Considering these aspects, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of β-defensin-1 and 2 in HPV-induced epithelial lesions. For this study, tumoral and normal mucosal tissue fragments were collected from 10 patients aged between 31-60years, with previously confirmed HPV infection, diagnosed clinically and histopathologically with cervical carcinoma. Patients did not receive any chemotherapy or radiotherapy before the biopsy procedure. The tissue fragments were processed by the standard immunohistochemistry technique using anti-β-defensin-1 and 2 antibodies(Bioss Antibodies). The samples examination revealed weak positive(+) membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear IR for hβD-1 in basal layer of normal cervical mucosa and moderate positive(++) membrane and cytoplasmic IR in squamous epithelium. For dysplastic HPV-associated tissues we highlighted a nuclear moderate positive(++) IR.For hβD-2, IR in basal layer of the normal mucosa was lower(+) compared with dysplastic cells IR and showed a strong expression(+++) at membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear level in koilocytes of patients with HPV-associated dysplasia. It was also observed a moderate positive (++) IR in basal layer of dysplastic cells of patients without HPV. The obtained results are in agreement with some literature data, which highlighted the fact that hβD-1 and hβD-2 are very important components of the molecular pattern in HPV-induced lesions

Corelattions Between CD31, CD68, MMP-2 and MMP-9 Expression in Allograft Cardiac Rejection – Immunohistochemical Study

Introduction. The cardiac allograft rejections from the post-transplant period are attributable to the acute cellular rejection monitored by multiple endomyocardial biopsies. Compared to this, humoral rejection remains a matter of debate, with multiple therapeutic strategies, poor prognosis, and persisting uncertainty about diagnostic criteria. Acute allograft rejection is associated with significant modifications of the extracellular matrix compartment mainly regulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of MMP-2 and -9 and CD31, CD68 (endothelial and histiocytic markers) and the correlations between them using immunohistochemistry, in patients with cardiac allografts

C-N cross-coupling on supported copper catalysts: The effect of the support, oxidation state, base and solvent

[EN] A series of supported copper catalysts at two different loadings (1 and 2 wt%) have been prepared by deposition precipitation on various supports including TiO2, ZnO, Al2O3 and active carbon and submitted or not to reductive treatments to favor the increase in population of Cu(I). The samples have been characterized by textural measurements, electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques including EPR and XPS, concluding the presence of dispersed copper oxides on the support with small particle size and contrasting prevalence of Cu(II) or Cu(I). The catalytic activity of all these catalysts for the C-N coupling of aniline and bromobenzene has been evaluated. A strong influence of the support, copper oxidation state, solvent, nature of the base was observed, the optimal conditions being the use of ZnO or TiO2 as supports and toluene/dioxane as solvent and EtOK as base. t-C5H11OK as base in either THE or toluene give rise to the formation of t-C5H11 phenyl ether in some extent. The catalyst undergoes deactivation during the reaction, but about 88% of the activity of the fresh sample could be regained by dioxane washings before reuse. XPS indicates that the most likely origin of catalyst deactivation is adsorption on the copper catalyst surface of KBr and inorganic salts formed as byproducts during the reaction. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Tirsoaga Alina; Cojocaru, B.; Teodorescu, C.; Vasiliu, F.; Grecu, MN.; Ghica, D.; Parvulescu, VI.... (2016). C-N cross-coupling on supported copper catalysts: The effect of the support, oxidation state, base and solvent. Journal of Catalysis. 341:205-220. doi:10.1016/j.jcat.2016.06.011S20522034