CD56 and PGP expression in acute myeloid leukemia: impact on clinical outcome

Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (PGP), a multidrug-related (MDR) protein, is one of the most important factors responsible for reduced drug sensitivity in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Recently, we demonstrated that the presence of CD56 antigen, an isoform of the neural adhesion molecule, in AML cells is a negative independent prognostic factor for the achievement of complete remission (CR) and correlates with shorter survival. Since in our previous report we observed a more frequent PGP expression in CD56+ patients, we hypothesized that the reduced response to chemotherapy in this group of patients was due to increased PGP-mediated drug efflux. To confirm this hypothesis in this study PGP and CD56 expression on AML cells was correlated with other clinical and biological features and treatment response

Rheumatoid factor positivity rather than anti-CCP positivity, a lower disability and a lower number of anti-TNF agents failed are associated with response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES: We explored clinical factors associated with a major response to rituximab (RTX) (e.g. ACR >/=50, and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) moderate to good response) in patients with active long-standing RA and inadequate response to anti-TNF agents or traditional DMARDs. METHODS: RTX was used in 110 RA patients in six different Italian centres. The mean disease activity score on 28 joints (DAS28) was 6.4 +/- 0.99 and the mean HAQ was 1.63 +/- 0.68 at baseline. Thirty-two patients (29.1%) underwent RTX after the failure of DMARD therapy, 37 (33.6%) had failed or were intolerant to at least two anti-TNF agents, and 41 (37.3%) had failed or were intolerant to one anti-TNF agent. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: The number of previous anti-TNF agents (P = 0.043), HAQ (P = 0.023), RF positivity (P < 0.0001) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positivity (P = 0.003) were associated with ACR response >or=50 between month +4 and month +6 after starting RTX by univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis confirmed that a lower HAQ, a lower number of anti-TNF agents failed before RTX and RF positivity, but not anti-CCP positivity, were the selected variables associated with an ACR response >or=50, with an accuracy of 84% of the model. Only RF positivity correlated with EULAR moderate to good response both in the univariate and in the multivariate analysis, with an accuracy of 79% of the model. CONCLUSION: RF-positive rather than anti-CCP-positive RA patients with lower baseline disability and a lower number of previously failed TNF blockers may be the best candidates to RTX

Financial well-being and subjective/psychological wel--being among youth: how uncertainty and abiguity tolerance affects their relationship.

Financial well-being has recently become a topic of considerable interests. It refers to the subjective experience of being financially healthy and is based on subjective evaluation of one\u2019s financial experience. Financial well-being has been considered a predictor of psychological and subjective well-being. However, the role of personal characteristics in affecting their relationship has rarely been considered. The present study aims at exploring the relationship between financial well-being and subjective/psychological wellbeing in a group of 449 Italian and Portuguese young adults by accounting for the individual differences concerning the ability to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. We firstly performed a cluster analysis to identify different profiles of ambiguity and uncertainty tolerance. Later, we performed a multi-group analysis in order to test if the relation between financial well-being and subjective/psychological well-being changes across the 4 profiles we identified. Results indicate that the ambiguity and uncertainty tolerance is a significant moderator of the relation

Financial well-being and subjective/psychological well-being among youth: How uncertainty and ambiguity tolerance affects their relationship

The association between financial and subjective/psychological well-being: the moderation effect of ambiguity and uncertainty toleranc