Double-bladed scalpel: A new option for harvesting margins in head and neck cancers

Background: in advanced head and neck tumors margins are very rarely comprehensively checked by frozen sections. the goal of this study was to analyze a new proposal for harvesting margins using a double- bladed scalpel. Methods: Thirty-eight patients underwent a comprehensive resection of advanced head and neck tumors with a double- bladed scalpel. Margins were mapped and checked by frozen sections, while tumor resection continued. When positive margins were identified, they were excised again, and checked by frozen sections. Results: Thirty-three patients (87%) had clear skin and soft tissue margins at frozen sections. Five patients (13%) had focal skin and soft tissue-positive margins at frozen sections, which were re-excised. Two patients (5%) had skin and soft tissue-positive margins only at permanent sections. One was reoperated and 1 received radiation therapy. the 3-year local control rate was 58%. Conclusions: in this preliminary study, the double- bladed scalpel appeared to be an interesting option for complete intraoperative evaluation of surgical margins of advanced head and neck tumors. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.Univ São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Head & Neck Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Plast Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, Dept Neurosurg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Head & Neck Surg, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Head & Neck Surg, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Autophagy in protists

Autophagy is the degradative process by which eukaryotic cells digest their own components using acid hydrolases within the lysosome. Originally thought to function almost exclusively in providing starving cells with nutrients taken from their own cellular constituents, autophagy is in fact involved in numerous cellular events including differentiation, turnover of macromolecules and organelles and defense against parasitic invaders. During the past 10-20 years, molecular components of the autophagic machinery have been discovered, revealing a complex interactome of proteins and lipids, which, in a concerted way, induce membrane formation to engulf cellular material and target it for lysosomal degradation. Here, our emphasis is autophagy in protists. We discuss experimental and genomic data indicating that the canonical autophagy machinery characterized in animals and fungi appeared prior to the radiation of major eukaryotic lineages. Moreover, we describe how comparative bioinformatics revealed that this canonical machinery has been subject to moderation, outright loss or elaboration on multiple occasions in protist lineages, most probably as a consequence of diverse lifestyle adaptations. We also review experimental studies illustrating how several pathogenic protists either utilize autophagy mechanisms or manipulate host-cell autophagy in order to establish or maintain infection within a host. The essentiality of autophagy for the pathogenicity of many parasites, and the unique features of some of the autophagy-related proteins involved, suggest possible new targets for drug discovery. Further studies of the molecular details of autophagy in protists will undoubtedly enhance our understanding of the diversity and complexity of this cellular phenomenon and the opportunities it offers as a drug target

Erratum to: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (Autophagy, 12, 1, 1-222, 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356

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