Cryopreservation of hazelnut (Corylus avellana l.) axillary buds from in vitro shoots using the droplet vitrification method

Cryopreservation by droplet vitrification was applied to hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). axillary buds of the Italian cultivated variety Tonda Gentile Romana, which were collected from in vitro growing shoots, immersed in ice cooled PVS2 or PVS3 for 60 or 90 min, then transferred to a droplet of vitrification solution, placed on a strip of aluminium foil, and plunged into liquid nitrogen (LN). Additionally, the effect on the recovery of the mother plant after cryopreservation was evaluated, following a cold pre-treatment at 4◦C for 3 months. The highest regrowth percentage (56.7%) was obtained after applying PVS3 for 60 min, while the application of PVS2 for the same amount of time reduced regrowth to 41.5%. Increasing the exposure to vitrification solutions to 90 min reduced regrowth to 43.3% when PVS3 was applied, and 35.6% if PVS2 was used. The cold pre-treatment on the mother plant did not significantly improve overall regrowth. The cryopreservation process did not decline the rooting ability of the recovered shoot

Regulatory Interplay between miR-181a-5p and Estrogen Receptor Signaling Cascade in Breast Cancer

he efficacy and side effects of endocrine therapy in breast cancer (BC) depend largely on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression, the specific drug administered, and treatment scheduling. Although the benefits of endocrine therapy outweigh any adverse effects in the initial stages of BC, later- or advanced-stage tumors acquire resistance to treatments. The mechanisms underlying tumor resistance to therapy are still not well understood, posing a major challenge for BC patient care. Epigenetic regulation and miRNA expression may be involved in the switch from a treatment-sensitive to a treatment-resistant state and could provide a valid therapeutic strategy for ERα negative BC. Here, a hybrid lysine-specific histone demethylase inhibitor, MC3324, displaying selective estrogen receptor down-regulator-like activities in BC, was used to highlight the interplay between epigenetic and ERα signaling. MC3324 anticancer action is mediated by microRNA (miRNA) expression regulation, indicating an innovative function for this molecule. Integrated analysis suggests a crosstalk between estrogen signaling, ERα interactors, miRNAs, and their putative targets. Specifically, miR-181a-5p expression is regulated by MC3324 and has an impact on cellular levels of ERα. A comparison of breast tumor versus healthy mammary tissues confirmed the important role of miR-181a-5p in ERα regulation and points to its putative predictive function in BC therapy

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Extremely rare cases of paraneoplastic syndromes or ectopic production of proteins associated with liposarcoma are reported in literature. Production of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor, alpha-fetoprotein, paraneoplastic pemphigus and leucocytosis, Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica (Bazex's syndrome) are reported.</p> <p>The present report describes a case of retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis. Our search in the English literature of such a kind of association did not reveal any case reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 74 year male patient was admitted to our hospital because of the presence of an abdominal mass in right iliac fossa. He also complained of a two-year history of psoriasiform eruptions. The CT scan showed a retroperitoneal pelvic mass. Therefore surgical resection of the tumor was performed. After surgery, the skin eruptions disappeared completely in seven days and so a diagnosis of parapsoriasis syndrome was done.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Parallel disappearing of skin eruptions after surgery, typical clinical picture and not specific histology of the cutaneous lesions suggest the diagnosis of small plaque parapsoriasis. Therefore we propose to add Small Plaque Parapsoriasis to the list of paraneoplastic syndromes associated to liposarcoma.</p

Definitions and incidence of cardiac syndrome X: review and analysis of clinical data

There is no consensus regarding the definition of cardiac syndrome X (CSX). We systematically reviewed recent literature using a standardized search strategy. We included 57 articles. A total of 47 studies mentioned a male/female distribution. A meta-analysis yielded a pooled proportion of females of 0.56 (n = 1,934 patients, with 95% confidence interval: 0.54–0.59). As much as 9 inclusion criteria and 43 exclusion criteria were found in the 57 articles. Applying these criteria to a population with normal coronary angiograms and treated in 1 year at a general hospital, the attributable CSX incidence varied between 3 and 11%. The many inclusion and exclusion criteria result in a wide range of definitions of CSX and these have large effects on the incidence. This shows the need for a generally accepted definition of CSX

Distal Versus Conventional Radial Access for Coronary Angiography and Intervention: The DISCO RADIAL Trial.

BACKGROUND: Currently, transradial access (TRA) is the recommended access for coronary procedures because of increased safety, with radial artery occlusion (RAO) being its most frequent complication, which will increasingly affect patients undergoing multiple procedures during their lifetimes. Recently, distal radial access (DRA) has emerged as a promising alternative access to minimize RAO risk. A large-scale, international, randomized trial comparing RAO with TRA and DRA is lacking. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the superiority of DRA compared with conventional TRA with respect to forearm RAO. METHODS: DISCO RADIAL (Distal vs Conventional Radial Access) was an international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial in which patients with indications for percutaneous coronary procedure using a 6-F Slender sheath were randomized to DRA or TRA with systematic implementation of best practices to reduce RAO. The primary endpoint was the incidence of forearm RAO assessed by vascular ultrasound at discharge. Secondary endpoints include crossover, hemostasis time, and access site-related complications. RESULTS: Overall, 657 patients underwent TRA, and 650 patients underwent DRA. Forearm RAO did not differ between groups (0.91% vs 0.31%; P = 0.29). Patent hemostasis was achieved in 94.4% of TRA patients. Crossover rates were higher with DRA (3.5% vs 7.4%; P = 0.002), and median hemostasis time was shorter (180 vs 153 minutes; P < 0.001). Radial artery spasm occurred more with DRA (2.7% vs 5.4%; P = 0.015). Overall bleeding events and vascular complications did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: With the implementation of a rigorous hemostasis protocol, DRA and TRA have equally low RAO rates. DRA is associated with a higher crossover rate but a shorter hemostasis time

Anatomic basis and physiological rationale of distal radial artery access for percutaneous coronary and endovascular procedures

Transradial access offers important advantages over transfemoral access, including overall increased procedure comfort and better outcomes. Still, complications of transradial access exist, with radial artery occlusion being the most clinically relevant one. Puncture sites in the hand allowing distal radial artery access have initially been described for anterograde angioplasty of occluded radial arteries and could represent a valuable alternative to traditional wrist puncture for radial artery catheterization. What may at first appear as a "radialist eccentricity" definitely has a sound rationale, which the authors review. Knowledge of the anatomic and physiological principles at the basis of distal radial artery access is essential to promote rigorous understanding and practice of this new opportunity for both patients and interventional specialists. (c) 2018 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation

Micropropagation of Sicilian cultivars with an aim to preserve genetic diversity in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L

The use of a small number of cultivars in agriculture can lead to a loss of agrobiodiversity. Since in vitro techniques are valuable tools for conserving plant biodiversity, an efficient micropropagation protocol for four Italian hazelnut cultivars, ‘Carrello’, ‘Ghirara’, ‘Minnulara’, and ‘Panottara’, was developed. The highest axillary bud survival was obtained after decontamination with 40 min 1% sodium hypochlorite followed by 40 min 0.1% sodium merthiolate in ‘Minnulara’ and ‘Ghirara’, while the 35þ35 min treatment was the best for ‘Carrello’ and ‘Panottara’. Shoot multiplication was higher in ‘Minnulara’ and ‘Ghirara’ when 6.6 lM N6-benzyladenine was used, even if some hyperhydric shoots were observed, while metatopolin was more effective in the other two cultivars. In vitro rooting, performed in ‘Carrello’ and ‘Panottara’, was higher with 17.6 than with 9.8 mM indole-3-butyric. Following in vitro root induction with 17.6 mM indole-3-butyric acid for 7 days, rooting and acclimatisation in greenhouse exceeded 85% for all four cultivars

Diagnostic and prognostic value of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of exercise stress test

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of an exercise stress test, as compared with that of ST segment depression appearing during exercise. Setting: Exercise stress test laboratory of a university hospital. Patients and design: Clinical and angiographic data were compared for 574 consecutive patients who developed ST segment depression during the active phase of an exercise test (group 1) and for 79 patients who developed ST segment depression only during the recovery phase of the exercise test (group 2). Results: There were no differences between the two groups in major clinical features. Significant coronary artery stenoses were found in 488 group 1 patients (85%) and in 62 group 2 patients (78%, p  =  0.14). Three vessel or left main disease was found in 166 (29%) group 1 and in 14 (18%) group 2 patients (p  =  0.045). At a median follow up of 55.3 months of 321 group 1 and 54 group 2 patients, there were no significant differences in major cardiac events between the groups (univariate relative risk 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 2.68, p  =  0.72). Conclusion: The diagnostic and prognostic power of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of an exercise test is largely similar to that of ST segment depression induced during effort; thus, assessing ST segment depression during recovery can significantly improve the clinical information derived from exercise stress tests

Diagnostic and prognostic value of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of exercise stress test. Heart 920

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic and prognostic value of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of an exercise stress test, as compared with that of ST segment depression appearing during exercise. Setting: Exercise stress test laboratory of a university hospital. Patients and design: Clinical and angiographic data were compared for 574 consecutive patients who developed ST segment depression during the active phase of an exercise test (group 1) and for 79 patients who developed ST segment depression only during the recovery phase of the exercise test (group 2). Results: There were no differences between the two groups in major clinical features. Significant coronary artery stenoses were found in 488 group 1 patients (85%) and in 62 group 2 patients (78%, p = 0.14). Three vessel or left main disease was found in 166 (29%) group 1 and in 14 (18%) group 2 patients (p = 0.045). At a median follow up of 55.3 months of 321 group 1 and 54 group 2 patients, there were no significant differences in major cardiac events between the groups (univariate relative risk 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 2.68, p = 0.72). Conclusion: The diagnostic and prognostic power of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of an exercise test is largely similar to that of ST segment depression induced during effort; thus, assessing ST segment depression during recovery can significantly improve the clinical information derived from exercise stress tests