Ausencia de anticuerpos anti Trypanosoma cruzi en perros de barrios carenciados de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

El objetivo del trabajo fue detectar anticuerpos anti Trypanosoma cruzi en canes domiciliarios de dos barrios carenciados de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Los barrios se eligieron en base a la presencia de personas y caninos procedentes de áreas endémicas, así como a las características de las viviendas, que por su precariedad favorecen la proliferación de insectos, además de albergar perros y aves de corral en su interior, en estrecha co–habitación con el hombre. Tales condiciones sugerían presunción de la existencia de serología positiva en los perros, originada tanto en su lugar de procedencia como en su hábitat actual. Entre marzo de 2005 y junio de 2006 fue recolectado suero sanguíneo de 424 caninos, preservándose en glicerina neutra tamponada, para luego ser examinado por inmunofluorescencia indirecta (IFI) y por enzimoinmunoensayo (ELISA). Se consideró positivo el suero que resultara reactivo para las dos pruebas efectuadas. En ningún suero estudiado se detectaron anticuerpos específicos anti T. cruzi, hecho que resulta coincidente con la falta de evidencias de infestación y transmisión por triatominos en la zona

Il trattamento riabilitativo integrato alla terapia farmacologica con anticorpo anti RANK-L

abstract pubblicato su atti congressual

The psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on patients with neuroendocrine tumors: Between resilience and vulnerability

The COVID-19 pandemic has added another layer of complexity to the fears of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Little is known regarding the psychological impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on patients with gastroenteropancreatic or bronchopulmonary (BP) NETs. We longitudinally surveyed the mental symptoms and concerns of NET patients during the plateau phase of the first (W1) and second epidemic waves (W2) in Italy. Seven specific constructs (depression, anxiety, stress, health-related quality of life, NET-related quality of life, patient–physician relationship, psychological distress) were investigated using validated screening instruments, including DASS-21, EORTC QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ GI.NET21, PDRQ9 and IES-R. We enrolled 197 patients (98 males) with a median age of 62 years. The majority of the patients had G1/G2 neoplasms. Some 38% of the patients were on active treatment. At W1, the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was 32%, 36% and 26% respectively. The frequency of depression and anxiety increased to 38% and 41% at W2, whereas no modifications were recorded in the frequency of stress. Poor educational status was associated with higher levels of anxiety at both W1 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.33 ± 0.22; p =.07) and W2 (OR = 1.45 ± 0.26; p =.03). Notably, post-traumatic stress symptoms were observed in the 58% of the patients, and both single marital status (OR = 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06–0.48; p =.0009) and low levels of formal education (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.23–0.99; p =.05) predicted their occurrence. No significant deteriorations of health-related quality of life domains were observed from W1 to W2. High patient care satisfaction was documented despite the changes in health systems resource allocation. NET patients have an increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress symptoms as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific screening measures and psychological interventions should be implemented in NET clinics to prevent, recognize and treat mental distress in this vulnerable population

Doxorubicin anti-tumor mechanisms include Hsp60 post-translational modifications leading to the Hsp60/p53 complex dissociation and instauration of replicative senescence

The chaperone Hsp60 is pro-carcinogenic in certain tumor types by interfering with apoptosis and with tumor cell death. In these tumors, it is not yet known whether doxorubicin anti-tumor effects include a blockage of the pro-carcinogenic action of Hsp60. We found a doxorubicin dose-dependent viability reduction in a human lung mucoepidermoid cell line that was paralleled by the appearance of cell senescence markers. Concomitantly, intracellular Hsp60 levels decreased while its acetylation levels increased. The data suggest that Hsp60 acetylation interferes with the formation of the Hsp60/p53 complex and/or promote its dissociation, both causing an increase in the levels of free p53, which can then activate the p53-dependent pathway toward cell senescence. On the other hand, acetylated Hsp60 is ubiquitinated and degraded and, thus, the anti-apoptotic effect of the chaperonin is abolished with subsequent tumor cell death. Our findings could help in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which doxorubicin counteracts carcinogenesis and, consequently, it would open new roads for the development of cancer treatment protocols targeting Hsp60

Anisotropic flow far from equilibrium

We compute analytically the anisotropic flow in an expanding mixture of several species of relativistic massive particles. We find that a single collision per particle in average already leads to sizable elliptic flow, with mass ordering between the species.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures. v2: journal version (a few typos corrected, extra acknowledgments added

RAS as a positive predictive biomarker: focus on lung and colorectal cancer patients

Rat sarcoma (RAS) oncogenes have intensively been investigated during the last decades. Taking into account all human tumours, Kirsten Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (KRAS) gene is the most frequently mutated (about 22%) among the three isoforms, followed by Neuroblastoma RAS Viral Oncogene Homolog (NRAS) (8%) and Harvey Rat Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog (HRAS) (3%). In the last years, careful attention has been paid on KRAS and NRAS gene mutations in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients because of their prognostic and predictive roles. In particular, a large body of literature data has been generated investigating clinical outcomes of targeted treatments in NSCLC and CRC KRAS- and NRAS-mutated patients. The latest evidences are here reviewed, providing also an overview of the real-world RAS mutation testing practice across different Italian laboratories. On this basis, we propose a knowledge-based system, www.rasatlas.com, to support the healthcare personnel in the management of patients featuring RAS gene mutations in the landscape of precision oncology

Activity of osimeRTInib in non-small-cell lung Cancer with UNcommon epidermal growth factor receptor mutations: retrospective Observational multicenter study (ARTICUNO)

Background: Osimertinib represents the standard of care for the treatment of advanced non -small -cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring classical epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) mutations, constituting 80%-90% of all EGFR alterations. In the remaining cases, an assorted group of uncommon alterations of EGFR (uEGFR) can be detected, which confer variable sensitivity to previous generations of EGFR inhibitors, overall with lower therapeutic activity. Data on osimertinib in this setting are limited and strongly warranted. Patients and methods: The ARTICUNO study retrospectively evaluated data on osimertinib activity from patients with advanced NSCLC harboring uEGFR treated in 21 clinical centers between August 2017 and March 2023. Data analysis was carried out with a descriptive aim. Investigators collected response data according to RECIST version 1.1 criteria. The median duration of response, progression -free survival (mPFS), and overall survival were estimated by the Kaplan - Meier method. Results: Eighty-six patients harboring uEGFR and treated with osimertinib were identi fi ed. Patients with ' major ' uEGFR, that is, G719X, L861X, and S768I mutations ( n = 51), had an overall response rate (ORR) and mPFS of 50% and 9 months, respectively. Variable outcomes were registered in cases with rarer ' minor ' mutations ( n = 27), with ORR and mPFS of 31% and 4 months, respectively. Among seven patients with exon 20 insertions, ORR was 14%, while the best outcome was registered among patients with compound mutations including at least one classical EGFR mutation ( n = 13). Thirty patients presented brain metastases (BMs) and intracranial ORR and mPFS were 58% and 9 months, respectively. Ampli fi cation of EGFR or MET , TP53 mutations, and EGFR E709K emerged after osimertinib failure in a dataset of 18 patients with available rebiopsy. Conclusion: The ARTICUNO study con fi rms the activity of osimertinib in patients with uEGFR, especially in those with compound uncommon e common mutations, or major uEGFR, even in the presence of BMs. Alterations at the E709 residue of EGFR are associated with resistance to osimertinib