Klebsiella pneumoniae carrying multiple alleles of antigen 43-encoding gene of Escherichia coli associated with biofilm formation

A clinical strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae typed as sequence type 307 carrying three different alleles of the flu gene encoding the Escherichia coli virulence factor antigen 43 associated with biofilm formation was detected and characterized. The flu alleles are located in the chromosome inside putative integrative conjugative elements. The strain displays the phenotypes associated with Ag43, i.e. bi-phasic colony morphology and enhanced biofilm production. Furthermore, the strain produces low amount of capsule known to affect Ag43 function. Analysis of 1431 worldwide deposited genomes revealed that 3.7% Klebsiella pneumoniae carry one or two flu alleles

Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF-1R) expression on Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) and metastatic breast cancer outcome: results from the TransMYME trial

Purpose To evaluate the prognostic value of IGF-1R expression on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in a prospective randomized clinical trial comparing chemotherapy plus metformin with chemotherapy alone in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Methods CTCs were collected at baseline and at the end of chemotherapy. An automated sample preparation and analysis system (CellSearch) were customized for detecting IGF-1R expression. The prognostic role of CTC count and IGF-1R was assessed for PFS and OS by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Seventy-two out of 126 randomized patients were evaluated: 57% had >= 1 IGF-1R positive CTC and 37.5% >= 4 IGF-1R negative cells; 42% had CTC count >= 5/7.5 ml. At univariate analysis, the number of IGF-1R negative CTCs was strongly associated with risk of progression and death: HR 1.93 (P = 0.013) and 3.65 (P = 0.001), respectively; no association was detected between number of IGF-1R positive CTCs and PFS or OS (P = 0.322 and P = 0.840). The prognostic role of CTC count was confirmed: HR 1.69, P = 0.042 for PFS and HR 2.80 for OS, P = 0.002. By multivariate analysis, the prognostic role of the number of IGF-1R negative CTCs was maintained, while no residual prognostic role of CTC count or number of IGF-1R positive cells was found. Conclusion Loss of IGF-1R in CTCs is associated with a significantly worse outcome in MBC patients. This finding supports further evaluation for the role of IGF-1R on CTCs to improve patient stratification and to implement new targeted strategies. Clinical trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01885013); European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT No.2009-014,662-26)

Alterata secrezione basale dopo stimolo con GHRH+Arginina in quattro soggetti adulti con deficit di aromatasi: nuovi aspetti dell’azione degli estrogeni sulla funzione ipofisaria.

In aromatase-deficient men, GH response to provocative stimuli is impaired and is not restored by exogenous estrogens. Furthermore, a tall stature may be reached, notwithstanding the coexistence of GHD

Studio multicentrico italiano sulla Legionellosi. Contaminazione ambientale da Legionella spp in strutture pubbliche e private

Nel 2001 è stato avviato uno studio multicentrico a livello nazionale sulla Malattia dei legionari per approfondire le conoscenze su alcuni degli aspetti critici e tuttora poco conosciuti del rischio Legionellosi, con specifico riferimento alla realtà italiana. Questo studio, coordinato dall'Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia vede la partecipazione di altre Università italiane dislocate lungo tutta la penisola, in modo da evidenziare eventuali differenze territoriali nella contaminazione ambientale e nell'infezione, nelle fonti di esposizione, nelle situazioni di rischio particolare. Vengono riportati i risultati più salienti, in quattro anni di attività del Gruppo Multicentrico Italiano di studio sulle Legionellosi, delle indagini ambientali ed in particolare la ricerca di legionella nell'acqua calda sanitaria di abitazioni ed alberghi, effettuata per stabilire la frequenza della contaminazione nelle diverse realtà geografiche e per individuare i fattori di rischio ad essa associati