Breast cancer "tailored follow-up" in Italian oncology units: a web-based survey

urpose: Breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment are still a controversial issue. Aim of this study was to investigate, through a web-based survey, surveillance methodologies selected by Italian oncologists in everyday clinical practice. Methods: Referents of Italian medical oncology units were invited to participate to the study via e-mail through the SurveyMonkey website. Participants were asked how, in their institution, exams of disease staging and follow-up are planned in asymptomatic women and if surveillance continues beyond the 5th year. Results: Between February and May 2013, 125 out of 233 (53.6%) invited referents of Italian medical oncology units agreed to participate in the survey. Ninety-seven (77.6%) referents state that modalities of breast cancer follow-up are planned according to the risk of disease progression at diagnosis and only 12 (9.6%) oncology units apply the minimal follow-up procedures according to international guidelines. Minimal follow-up is never applied in high risk asymptomatic women. Ninety-eight (78.4%) oncology units continue follow-up in all patients beyond 5 years. Conclusions: Our survey shows that 90.4% of participating Italian oncology units declare they do not apply the minimal breast cancer follow-up procedures after primary treatment in asymptomatic women, as suggested by national and international guidelines. Interestingly, about 80.0% of interviewed referents performs the so called "tailored follow-up", high intensity for high risk, low intensity for low risk patients. There is an urgent need of randomized clinical trials able to determine the effectiveness of risk-based follow-up modalities, their ideal frequency and persistence in time

The cutaneous signaling events induced by ROS

The cutaneous signaling events induced by ROS

HCV and BVDV NS5B RNA-dependent RNA polymerase: Advances in development of specific inhibitors.

Due to its central role in the replication of the viral genome, HCV and BVDV NS5B RdRps are seen attractive targets for the development of direct antivirals. Significant progress made in the comprehension of virus biology the HCV and BVDV and establishment of new and more predictive in vitro biochemical assays have consistently contributed to the advancement of the research in this field. In the article we will report the advances in development of small molecule inhibitors of these viral enzymes

7-Deazainosine derivatives: synthesis and characterization of 7-and 7,8-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine nucleosides

The synthesis of model 7 deazapurine derivatives related to tubercidin and toyocamycin has been performed. Tubercidin derivatives were obtained by simple conversion of the amino group of the heterocyclic moiety of the starting 7-deazadenosine compounds, into hydroxyl group. Preparation of toyocamycin derivatives was accomplished by treatment of the silylated 6-bromo-5-cyanopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-one with 1-O-acetyl-2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose. The glycosylation reaction afforded a mixture of 7-ciano, 8-bromo, 2’,3’,5’ tri-O-benzoyl, 7-deazainosine and 6-bromo-5-cyano-3-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]-pyrimidin-4-one isomers: the structures were assigned on the basis of NMR spectroscopy studies. Next deprotection treatment gave the novel 7-deazainosine ribonucleosides

Novel molecular combination deriving from natural aminoacids and polyphenols: Design, synthesis and free-radical scavenging activities

Following the recent output of scientific publications in the matter of synergic activity between different antioxidants, we have undertaken the present study with the aim to synthesize new molecules with radical-scavengers activity based on the conjugation of bioactive portions (i.e. phenols, cysteine, methionine or tyrosine), characterized by different structures and mechanisms of action, to promote the simultaneous quenching of different radical species in the site of the oxidative damage. In this context, derivatives of phenolic acid, aminoacids and dopamine have been also prepared. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro applying specific and complementary antioxidant test such as DPPH assay and ORAC test As emerged from the evaluation, prerequisites for the activity of the synthesized molecules were: i) the maintenance of at least two hydroxylic groups on the aromatic moiety of phenolic portion, ii) the presence of a spacer between the aromatic moiety and the carbonilic grou

SupraBox: a New Class of Chiral Supramolecular Oxazoline Ligands

A new class of oxazoline ligands, named SupraBox, was studied. These ligands possess an additional urea functionality to generate supramolecular bidentate ligands in transition metal complexes, by the establishment of hydrogen bonds between the urea N-hydrogens of one ligand and the carbonyl oxygen of a second one. A library of 16 SupraBox ligands was prepared containing five differently substituted oxazoline nuclei, four linkers and three different urea substituents. The formation of copper(II) and palladium(II) complexes was investigated by MS, UV-Vis and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The SupraBox library was screened in the copper catalyzed asymmetric benzoylation of vic-diols. Good selectivities were obtained in the kinetic resolution of racemic hydrobenzoin (ee up to 86% and selectivity (s) = 28) and in the desymmetrization of meso-hydrobenzoin (ee up to 88%)

Metal catalysed reactions of beta,beta '-tricarbonyl derivatives with isocyanates

The reactions of b,b'-tricarbonyl derivatives with isocyanates are catalysed by 2 mol % transition metal acetylacetonates (e.g., [Co(acac)2] and [Zn(acac)2]) at room temperature. 3-Oxo-1,5-pentanedioic acid dimethylester (1) reacts with RNCO (R=Et, CH2CH=CH2, CH2Ph, Ph, 4-Cl-Ph) to give 1:1 adducts involving the formation of a new C-C bond between the intercarbonylic methylene and the isocyanato group. Under similar conditions 2,4,6-heptanetrione (2) reacts with the same isocyanates to afford pyridinone and pyranone derivatives resulting from the cyclisation of unstable 1:1 and 1:2 adducts

Metal catalysed reactions of Beta,Beta'-tricarbonyl derivatives with isocyanates

The reactions of Beta,Beta'-tricarbonyl derivatives with isocyanates are catalysed by 2 mol % transition metal acetylacetonates (e.g., [Co(acac)2] and [Zn(acac)2]) at room temperature. 3-Oxo-1,5-pentanedioic acid dimethylester (1) reacts with RNCO (R=Et, CH2CH=CH2,CH2Ph, Ph, 4-Cl-Ph) to give 1:1 adducts involving the formation of a new C-C bond between the intercarbonylic methylene and the isocyanato group. Under similar conditions 2,4,6-heptanetrione (2) reacts with the same isocyanates to afford pyridinone and pyranone derivatives resulting from the cyclisation of unstable 1:1 and 1:2 adducts

Ricerca, sviluppo e valutazione della capacità antiossidante di nuovi estratti di parti aeree di Paeonia per applicazione cosmetica

Le peonie sono piante preziose, molto ricercate sia per la loro bellezza, sia per quello che rappresentano: il nome Peonia deriva dal greco paiōios che significa salutare/benefico. Fino a pochi anni fa il genere Paeonia apparteneva alla famiglia delle Ranuncolaceae; oggi i botanici sono d’accordo nel dedicare al genere Paeonia una famiglia a parte, quella delle Paeoniaceae. Ne esistono numerosissime specie, divise in erbacee ed arboree, che comprendono innumerevoli ibridi. In questo lavoro sono state prese in considerazione una peonia erbacea, la P.lactiflora, ed una arbustiva, la P.suffruticosa (o moutan sims), entrambe diffuse, facilmente reperibili perchè usate come piante ornamentali e ampiamente presenti nei vari preparati della medicina tradizionale cinese. Inoltre sono state studiate la Peonia rockii, una specie arbustiva piuttosto rara, la cui coltivazione è limitata ad alcuni centri botanici specializzati, e infine una peonia ibrido della lactiflora. Il componente principale delle radici delle peonie maggiormente utilizzate nella medicina cinese è la paeniflorina, un glucoside monoterpenico con proprietà sedative, antispasmodiche e antinfiammatorie.Alla luce di queste considerazioni e incoraggiati da studi precedentemente effettuati presso i nostri laboratori su estratti di radice di Paeonia, che ne hanno evidenziato l’elevato potere antiossidante, paragonabile, ad esempio, a quello del tè verde, abbiamo deciso di intraprendere una ricerca volta a conoscere ed esplorare i principi attivi e le proprietà funzionali delle parti aeree (in particolare foglie e fiori) della medesima pianta. Sono state studiate quattro diverse specie di Paeonia, delle quali si avevano a disposizione foglie, gambi e foglie, gambi e fiori recisi: 1. Peonia moutan sims; 2. Peonia rockii; 3. Peonia lactiflora; 4. Peonia ibrido giapponese. Il risultato più interessante è stato fornito dall’analisi ORAC, eseguita sull’estratto di foglie di P.rockii e Te verde, entrambi ottenuti per macerazione, che ha evidenziato un’elevata attività antiossidante. L’estratto di foglie di P.rockii ottenuto per macerazione ha mostrato, inoltre, la più alta concentrazione di fenoli totali, la maggiore attività antiossidante tra quelle analizzate con ACW e uno dei valori migliori al test del DPPH. I dati sperimentali presentati in questo lavoro confermano come alcuni estratti di Peonia, in virtù della loro attività antiossidante, siano i candidati ideali per la preparazione di formulazioni cosmetiche atte a rallentare gli effetti dell’invecchiamento, contrastando l’azione dei radicali liberi a carico delle strutture della pelle