BACKGROUND Hepatic manifestations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CLL)are common:Elevation of liver enzymes frequently occurs,and differential diagnosis is often challenging.Liver infiltration by leukemic cells,primar...BACKGROUND Hepatic manifestations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CLL)are common:Elevation of liver enzymes frequently occurs,and differential diagnosis is often challenging.Liver infiltration by leukemic cells,primary and secondary hepatic malignancies,drug-induced hepatotoxicity,immunological disorders,and infections have been reported.Nevertheless,syncytial giant cell hepatitis(GCH)as a manifestation of autoimmune hepatitis in patients with CLL is an extremely rare condition,currently reported only in anecdotal cases.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report the case of a 62-year-old Caucasian woman affected by CLL,who developed GCH with peculiar histopathological features.The patient was evaluated for abnormal liver test results.Liver histology revealed significant inflammatory lymphomononuclear infiltrates with a plasma cell component,widespread syncytial changes in the hepatocytes with gigantocellular features,hepatocyte rosettes,and the typical feature of emperipolesis,consistent with a diagnosis of GCH.The patient was treated with corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil,resulting in a complete biochemical response.CONCLUSION Early histological diagnosis of GCH is crucial in patients with CLL,with mycophenolate mofetil representing a promising treatment option.展开更多
Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is the most common manifestation of oral cancer.It has been proposed that periodontal pathogens contribute to OSCC progression,mainly by their virulence factors.However,the main perio...Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is the most common manifestation of oral cancer.It has been proposed that periodontal pathogens contribute to OSCC progression,mainly by their virulence factors.However,the main periodontal pathogen and its mechanism to modulate OSCC cells remains not fully understood.In this study we investigate the main host-pathogen pathways in OSCC by computational proteomics and the mechanism behind cancer progression by the oral microbiome.The main hostpathogen pathways were analyzed in the secretome of biopsies from patients with OSCC and healthy controls by mass spectrometry.Then,functional assays were performed to evaluate the host-pathogen pathways highlighted in oral cancer.Host proteins associated with LPS response,cell migration/adhesion,and metabolism of amino acids were significantly upregulated in the human cancer proteome,whereas the complement cascade was downregulated in malignant samples.Then,the microbiome analysis revealed large number and variety of peptides from Fusobacterium nucleatum(F.nucleatum)in OSCC samples,from which several enzymes from the L-glutamate degradation pathway were found,indicating that L-glutamate from cancer cells is used as an energy source,and catabolized into butyrate by the bacteria.In fact,we observed that F.nucleatum modulates the cystine/glutamate antiporter in an OSCC cell line by increasing SLC7A11 expression,promoting L-glutamate efflux and favoring bacterial infection.Finally,our results showed that F.nucleatum and its metabolic derivates promote tumor spheroids growth,spheroidsderived cell detachment,epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Galectin-9 upregulation.Altogether,F.nucleatum promotes protumoral mechanism in oral cancer.展开更多
Obesity is now present worldwide, including China, India and developing countries. It now seems no longer acceptable to argue that obesity can simply be explained in terms of caloric consumption only using simple conc...Obesity is now present worldwide, including China, India and developing countries. It now seems no longer acceptable to argue that obesity can simply be explained in terms of caloric consumption only using simple concept of energy in and energy out. There may be specific causes of altered metabolism that produce nutritional imbalances. Individual variation in response to food intake may also be considered. Specific substances in the food chain can influence meta-bolism towards an increase in fat deposits. Xenoestrogens have been suggested to have such an influence. Soy contains phytoestrogens plus phytates, protease inhibitors and other anti-nutrients which block or compromise the body’s uptake of essential vitamins and minerals. This may contribute to nutritional anomalies. We analyzed data from WHO and FAO for 167 countries. These contained percentage of obese individuals (BMI > 30 kg/m2), GDP, caloric consump-tion per capita, and sugar and soy consumption per capita. Regressions and partial correlations were used. Soy con-sumption correlates significantly with levels of obesity, irrespective of GDP and caloric intake. For instance, poor Latin America with soy consumption of 28.9 kg/person/year has more obesity (18.4%) than better off European Union (14.1%) consuming 16.1 kg/person/year of soy. Soy consumption seems to contribute approximately 10% - 21% to the worldwide variation in obesity, depending on the method of statistical analysis. The ubiquitous presence of unfermented soy products in mass produced foods seems to be an important contributor to the obesity epidemic.展开更多
Objective: Major international guidelines have not standardized the sequence of diagnostic examinations during the follow-up of a patient with a diagnosed breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the acc...Objective: Major international guidelines have not standardized the sequence of diagnostic examinations during the follow-up of a patient with a diagnosed breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of sonography in the diagnosis of loco-regional lymphatic recurrences in comparison to the core needle biopsy results. Materials and Methods: Among 6455 patients who were followed up with clinical examination, mammography and ultrasound between January 2004 and November 2011, 125 (1.93%) patients had to be investigated with a core needle biopsy of a sonographically suspicious loco-regional lymph node. Results: Among the whole series, a total of 142 ultrasound-guided core needle biopsies were performed. Follow-up for the primary tumor lasted for a median time of 6.1 years (range 1 - 27 years). Ultrasound of suspicious loco-regional lymph nodes showed a sensitivity of 89.5%, a specificity of 87.1% and a positive predictive value of 89.5%. Conclusions: In our experience, ultrasound of suspicious loco-regional lymph nodes showed good accuracy and it should be a part of the standard examinations performed during follow-up for breast cancer.展开更多
AIM: To measure biochemical parameters in stomach biopsies and test their suitability as diagnostic biomarkers for gastritis and precancerous lesions.METHODS: Biopsies were obtained from the stomachs of two groups of ...AIM: To measure biochemical parameters in stomach biopsies and test their suitability as diagnostic biomarkers for gastritis and precancerous lesions.METHODS: Biopsies were obtained from the stomachs of two groups of patients(n = 40) undergoing fiberoptic endoscopy due to upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In the first group(n = 17), only the corpus region was examined. Biopsies were processed for microscopic examination and measurement of mitochondrial O2 consumption(cellular respiration), cellular adenosine triphosphate(ATP), glutathione(GSH), and caspase activity. In the second group of patients(n = 23), both corpus and antral regions were studied. Some biopsies were processed for microscopic examination, while the others were used for measurements of cellular respiration and GSH level.RESULTS: Microscopic examinations of gastric corpus biopsies from 17 patients revealed normal mucosae in 8 patients, superficial gastritis in 7 patients, and chronic atrophic gastritis in 1 patient. In patients with normal histology, the rate(mean ± SD) of cellular respiration was 0.17 ± 0.02 μmol/L O2 min-1 mg-1, ATP content was 487 ± 493 pmol/mg, and GSH was 469 ± 98 pmol/mg. Caspase activity was detected in 3 out of 8 specimens. The values of ATP and caspase activity were highly variable. The presence of superficial gastritis had insignificant effects on the measured biomarkers. In the patient with atrophic gastritis, cellular respiration was high andATP was relatively low, suggesting uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation. In the second cohort of patients, the examined biopsies showed either normal or superficial gastritis. The rate of cellular respiration(O2. μmol/L min-1 mg-1) was slightly higher in the corpus than the antrum(0.18 ± 0.05 vs 0.15 ± 0.04, P = 0.019). The value of GSH was about the same in both tissues(310 ± 135 vs 322 ± 155, P = 0.692).CONCLUSION: The corpus mucosa was metabolically more active than the antrum tissue. The data in this study will help in understanding the pathophysiology of gastric mucosa.展开更多
Introduction: The coexistence of tuberculosis with axillary lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma is uncommon. Observation: We report a case of a patient aged 59 years presenting a painless nodule in the right bre...Introduction: The coexistence of tuberculosis with axillary lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma is uncommon. Observation: We report a case of a patient aged 59 years presenting a painless nodule in the right breast for one year. The scan and mammography revealed a long-axis node of 3 × 2 × 1 cm in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast ranked stage IV by the American College of Radiology (ACR), associated with a set of axillary lymph nodes and the largest one measuring 15 × 15 × 20 millimeters (mm). The breast biopsy helped diagnose a Scarff Bloom Richardson (SBR) grade II non-specific invasive carcinoma, modified by Ellis and Elston. A right mastectomy associated with a lymph node dissection was performed. We noticed a not well defined and whitish 5 mm tumor mass associated with 16 lymph nodes removed. The histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of SBR grade II non-specific invasive carcinoma with invasion of 7 lymph nodes (N+ = 7/16). In 3 metastatic lymph nodes, there were epithelioid and gigantocellular granulomas with full central necrosis. The Ziehl Neelsen staining had highlighted acid-fast bacilli. The tumor was oestrogen and progesteron receptor, without an overexpression of the oncoprotein human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which corresponds to a 0 score and the Ki 67 proliferation index assessed at 10%. The patient was given an anti-tuberculosis treatment combining Rifampicin (H), Isoniazid (I), Pyrazinamid (Z), Ethambutol (E) over 2 months and secondly a combination of Rifampicin and Isoniazid over 4 months (2RHZE/4 RH). The anti-tumor chemotherapy used a protocol combining 3 FAC60+ 3 Docetaxel (F = Fluorouracil®A = Adriblastin®, C = Cyclophosphamid). Conclusion: This coexistence is uncommon, of incidental discovery and necessitates a multidisciplinary care.展开更多
Neoplasms can be considered as a group of aberrant cells that need more vascular supply to fulfill all their functions.Therefore,they promote angiogenesis through the same neovascularization pathway used physiological...Neoplasms can be considered as a group of aberrant cells that need more vascular supply to fulfill all their functions.Therefore,they promote angiogenesis through the same neovascularization pathway used physiologically.Angiogenesis is a process characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of oxygen caused by the tumor and oxidative stress;the latter being one of the most powerful stimuli of angiogenesis.As a result of altered tumor metabolism due to hypoxia,acidosis occurs.The angiogenic process and oxidative stress can be detected by measuring serum and tissue biomarkers.The study of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis and oxidative stress could lead to the identification of new biomarkers,ameliorating the selection of patients with neoplasms and the prediction of their response to possible anti-tumor therapies.In particular,in the treatment of patients with similar clinical tumor phenotypes but different prognoses,the new biomarkers could be useful.Moreover,they may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug resistance.Experimental studies show that blocking the vascular supply results in antiproliferative activity in vivo in neuroendocrine tumor cells,which require a high vascular supply.展开更多
Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been an arguable risk factor for COVID-19 diseases because they could upregulate Angiotensin Converting Enz...Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been an arguable risk factor for COVID-19 diseases because they could upregulate Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE2) expression, facilitating SARS-CoV2 entry to the lungs. Several retrospective clinical studies, however, found no such effect. Here, we explore how the use of ACEIs and ARBs links to COVID-19 across all countries of the world. Methods: Data on the availability of ACEIs and ARBs for 200 countries and on the number of cases and number of deaths per country by 28 December 2020 were extracted from WHO and Worldometer website, respectively. Data on life expectancy at age 65 years as a measure of ageing were from WHO and on Gross Domestic Product Per Capita (GDP PPP) and the percentage of urbanization were from the World Bank. Excel and SPSS v 26 software were used for statistical analyses. Results: In linear regression and logistic conditional regression analysis, GDP correlates with COVID-19 prevalence (rho = 0.66, p > 0.001) and deaths from COVID-19 (rho = 0.55, p < 0.001) while urbanization and life expectancy do not when GDP influence is controlled for. After statistically removing the effects of GDP on the prevalence and mortality from COVID-19, we found that countries without ACEI and ARB availability had lower COVID-19 cases and deaths (p < 0.02). Conclusions: Our study based on the global data contradicts findings of most published clinical studies at regional levels. We found that GDP positively correlates with prevalence of and mortality related to COVID-19. ACEI and ARB use increases COVID-19 infectivity and mortality.展开更多
Aim: Datura stramonium (DS) is a known hallucinogen and depressant of the central nervous system, but it is commonly used in alcoholic beverages to increase intoxication. Pharmacological, physiological and ultra-struc...Aim: Datura stramonium (DS) is a known hallucinogen and depressant of the central nervous system, but it is commonly used in alcoholic beverages to increase intoxication. Pharmacological, physiological and ultra-structural studies have demonstrated the neurotoxicity of this drug inanimals and humans at high doses. The present study investigated the histological patterns of neurodegeneration of frontal cortex (FC) neurons in Wistar rats treated with high doses of DS seed extract. Materials and methods: Ethanolic extract of DS dried seeds was diluted in normal saline and administered to male and female Wistar rats weighing 200 g - 250 g. The animals were first placed in three groups which were further sub-divided into four sub-groups. The treated sub-groups received intraperitoneal administration (i.p.) of 750 mg/kg of diluted DS seed extract once daily in group 1, twice daily (1500 mg/kg/day) in group 2 and thrice daily (2250 mg/kg/day) in group 3. The treatment was carried out for 4 weeks while the control groups received normal saline during the same period. The rats were euthanized and sections of the frontal cortices of the brain were histologically processed from all groups. Silver impregnation stain for degenerating axons and neurons was used to elucidate the pattern of degeneration induced by DS seed extract on the neurons of the FC. Results: The results of intraperitoneal administration of DS extract showed no changes in groups 1 & 2 treated rats while group 3 showed a significant pattern of histological changes like axonal atrophy, vacuolization and neuronal deaths in the frontal cortices neurons compared to the controls. Conclusion: DS may have a specific pattern of neurodegeneration at higher doses of administration. This could provide a useful model in understanding how DS intoxication can affect frontal cortex neurons with an implication of neurological disorders, mental diseases and behavioural deficits.展开更多
Background: cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the cellular transcription factors found in neurons. CREB is also important for the survival of neurons, and has an important role in the development ...Background: cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the cellular transcription factors found in neurons. CREB is also important for the survival of neurons, and has an important role in the development of drug addiction. Datura stramonium (DS) is a tropical ubiquitous plant commonly used to increase the intoxication of certain beverages for recreational purposes. The seeds of this plant are very toxic and may produce addiction on prolong usage. This research investigated the effects of administration of high doses of DS seeds on the expression of CREB protein in both male and female rats’ frontal cortices and its implication in addiction and neurodegeneration. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with a total of 24 male and female Wistar rats weighing 200 g - 250 g. The rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each. Each group was further divided into four sub-groups of 2 rats each. Ethanolic dried seed extract of DS was diluted in normal saline and administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to the treatment groups. The treated sub-groups received 750 mg/kg of DS extract<sup> </sup>once in group 1, twice in group 2 and thrice in group 3 daily for 4 weeks respectively, while the control sub-groups received i.p. normal saline concurrently for the same duration of time. The rats were euthanized and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was computed to detect a significant main difference of DS effect on CREB expression for each group, while post hoc Bonferroni Test compared CREB protein expression between male and female groups. Result: There were significant differences in the expression of CREB protein between the sub-groups and between the male and female rats of treated sub-group (p < 0.05) compared to the controls. There was a decrease in the female treated sub-groups and an increase in the male treated sub-groups compared to the respective controls. Conclusion: High doses of DS administration for a prolong time may affect the expressions of CREB protein differently in male and female treated rats which may consequently lead to addiction and neurodegeneration affecting frontal cortex neurons.展开更多
Background: Young soccer players’injuries are receiving increased interest. The need of adopting injury prevention strategies to reduce financial, social and sport costs is obligated. The main purpose of this study i...Background: Young soccer players’injuries are receiving increased interest. The need of adopting injury prevention strategies to reduce financial, social and sport costs is obligated. The main purpose of this study is to analyse clinical characteristics of young soccer players in order to develop specific and effective injury prevention programs. Methods: This observational, transversal study includes 25 young soccer players from Spanish National League. Strength, motor control, flexibility and range of motion characteristics were analysed before the first preseason training. Results: Statistically significant differences were found for hip internal rotation (p value=0.001), Thomas test (p value =0.012) and ankle dorsiflexion test (p value=0.009) between both sides. Dorsiflexion test showed a positive correlation with the hip internal rotation ROM (p<0.016) and with the triple hop test (p<0.007). The hip internal rotation ROM showed a positive correlation with the Thomas test (p<0.033) and with the single leg squat test (p < 0.008). The drop jump test showed a positive correlation with the single leg squat test (p<0.039). Conclusions: Clinical characteristics shown in this study should be taken into account in order to develop specific injury prevention for this specific population. Moreover, data shown in this study can be used as norm values for young soccer semi-professional players in future researches.展开更多
Consumption of fats and oils in the ancient world was examined as a window to human nutritional needs and compared with lipid usage in the modern world, post-1900. In earlier periods, the natural and only source of ed...Consumption of fats and oils in the ancient world was examined as a window to human nutritional needs and compared with lipid usage in the modern world, post-1900. In earlier periods, the natural and only source of edible fats and oils came from both animals and plants. These fats and oils played a vital role in the evolution of the human body structure, supporting many biochemical functions. Artifacts from prehistoric periods and the ancient world had indicated that humans were evolutionarily adapted to consume saturated lipids. They also consumed unsaturated fats and oils extracted from animals and plants, now identified as omega-3 to omega-6 in the fatty acid ratio of 1:1, commonly derived from naturally consumed unprocessed products and food sources. These fats and oils assisted in providing the ingredients for the building up of cells and maintaining their structural integrity in tissues, including the brain and other important internal organs, as well as providing energy for many biochemical processes in the body. The double bonds distributed throughout fatty acid carbon chains are a characteristic of unsaturated vegetable oils. They are more structurally diverse in polyunsaturated fats and oils with the greater preponderance for carbon-to-carbon double bonds distributed in the carbon chains. These double bonds are susceptible to generating free radicals. This article considers potential problems that proponents of the prevailing diet-heart cholesterol paradigm of the past 60 years may have neglected. It also presents the possible consequences of abandoning the evolutionarily inherited foods containing extracted natural saturated and monounsaturated fats and oils. Furthermore, the article addresses the contribution of docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids to immunity and the possible connection of excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acid to the marked rise in obesity and other non-communicable diseases in modern civilization.展开更多
Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles(EVs)participate in the metastasis process through different mechanisms,including the preparation of the pre-metastatic niche to grant circulating tumor cells(CTCs)implantation and...Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles(EVs)participate in the metastasis process through different mechanisms,including the preparation of the pre-metastatic niche to grant circulating tumor cells(CTCs)implantation and growth.The study of the metastasis process through the analysis of CTCs and tumor-derived EVs is difficult because of the dilution grade of these elements in peripheral blood.In early-stage lung cancer patients,the tumor-secreted products are even more diluted.An attractive strategy in surgical lung cancer patients is to purify them from a pulmonary tumor-draining vein where they are enriched.The information obtained from the analysis of EVs and CTCs purified from this source could give more accurate information about tumor biology and could be an important source of biomarkers to identify patients at high risk of relapse after curative surgery.展开更多
The Museum of Human Anatomy in Naples houses a collection of ancient Graeco-Roman crania.The aim of this study was to use multislice computed tomography(MSCT)to evaluate and objectively quantify potential differences ...The Museum of Human Anatomy in Naples houses a collection of ancient Graeco-Roman crania.The aim of this study was to use multislice computed tomography(MSCT)to evaluate and objectively quantify potential differences in cranial dimensions and shapes between ancient Graeco-Roman crania(n=36)and modern-day southern Italian crania(n=35)and then to characterize the cranial changes occurring over more than 2000 years,known as secular change.The authors used traditional metric criteria and morphometric geometry to compare shape differences between the sets of crania.Statistically significant differences in size between the ancient and modern crania included shorter facial length,narrower external palate,smaller minimum cranial breadth,shorter right and left mastoid processes,and wider maximum occipital and nasal breadth.The shape changes from the ancient to modern crania included a global coronal enlargement of the face and cranial diameters,with more anterior projection of the face at the anterior nasal spine,but also posterior projection at the glabella and the nasion.It is not possible to determine whether these differences result exclusively from secular changes in the cranium or from other factors,including a mix of secular change and other unknown factors.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first MSCT-based study to compare ancient Graeco-Roman and modern-day southern Italian crania and to characterize shape and size differences.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatic manifestations in chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CLL)are common:Elevation of liver enzymes frequently occurs,and differential diagnosis is often challenging.Liver infiltration by leukemic cells,primary and secondary hepatic malignancies,drug-induced hepatotoxicity,immunological disorders,and infections have been reported.Nevertheless,syncytial giant cell hepatitis(GCH)as a manifestation of autoimmune hepatitis in patients with CLL is an extremely rare condition,currently reported only in anecdotal cases.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report the case of a 62-year-old Caucasian woman affected by CLL,who developed GCH with peculiar histopathological features.The patient was evaluated for abnormal liver test results.Liver histology revealed significant inflammatory lymphomononuclear infiltrates with a plasma cell component,widespread syncytial changes in the hepatocytes with gigantocellular features,hepatocyte rosettes,and the typical feature of emperipolesis,consistent with a diagnosis of GCH.The patient was treated with corticosteroids and mycophenolate mofetil,resulting in a complete biochemical response.CONCLUSION Early histological diagnosis of GCH is crucial in patients with CLL,with mycophenolate mofetil representing a promising treatment option.
基金supported by Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo(ANID),Chilean Government Fondecyt Regular 1211480supported by a Master ANID Scholarship+1 种基金funded by ANID/Fondecyt Regular 1211480funded by EQM150061(FONDEQUIP-ANID)。
文摘Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is the most common manifestation of oral cancer.It has been proposed that periodontal pathogens contribute to OSCC progression,mainly by their virulence factors.However,the main periodontal pathogen and its mechanism to modulate OSCC cells remains not fully understood.In this study we investigate the main host-pathogen pathways in OSCC by computational proteomics and the mechanism behind cancer progression by the oral microbiome.The main hostpathogen pathways were analyzed in the secretome of biopsies from patients with OSCC and healthy controls by mass spectrometry.Then,functional assays were performed to evaluate the host-pathogen pathways highlighted in oral cancer.Host proteins associated with LPS response,cell migration/adhesion,and metabolism of amino acids were significantly upregulated in the human cancer proteome,whereas the complement cascade was downregulated in malignant samples.Then,the microbiome analysis revealed large number and variety of peptides from Fusobacterium nucleatum(F.nucleatum)in OSCC samples,from which several enzymes from the L-glutamate degradation pathway were found,indicating that L-glutamate from cancer cells is used as an energy source,and catabolized into butyrate by the bacteria.In fact,we observed that F.nucleatum modulates the cystine/glutamate antiporter in an OSCC cell line by increasing SLC7A11 expression,promoting L-glutamate efflux and favoring bacterial infection.Finally,our results showed that F.nucleatum and its metabolic derivates promote tumor spheroids growth,spheroidsderived cell detachment,epithelial-mesenchymal transition and Galectin-9 upregulation.Altogether,F.nucleatum promotes protumoral mechanism in oral cancer.
文摘Obesity is now present worldwide, including China, India and developing countries. It now seems no longer acceptable to argue that obesity can simply be explained in terms of caloric consumption only using simple concept of energy in and energy out. There may be specific causes of altered metabolism that produce nutritional imbalances. Individual variation in response to food intake may also be considered. Specific substances in the food chain can influence meta-bolism towards an increase in fat deposits. Xenoestrogens have been suggested to have such an influence. Soy contains phytoestrogens plus phytates, protease inhibitors and other anti-nutrients which block or compromise the body’s uptake of essential vitamins and minerals. This may contribute to nutritional anomalies. We analyzed data from WHO and FAO for 167 countries. These contained percentage of obese individuals (BMI > 30 kg/m2), GDP, caloric consump-tion per capita, and sugar and soy consumption per capita. Regressions and partial correlations were used. Soy con-sumption correlates significantly with levels of obesity, irrespective of GDP and caloric intake. For instance, poor Latin America with soy consumption of 28.9 kg/person/year has more obesity (18.4%) than better off European Union (14.1%) consuming 16.1 kg/person/year of soy. Soy consumption seems to contribute approximately 10% - 21% to the worldwide variation in obesity, depending on the method of statistical analysis. The ubiquitous presence of unfermented soy products in mass produced foods seems to be an important contributor to the obesity epidemic.
文摘Objective: Major international guidelines have not standardized the sequence of diagnostic examinations during the follow-up of a patient with a diagnosed breast cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy of sonography in the diagnosis of loco-regional lymphatic recurrences in comparison to the core needle biopsy results. Materials and Methods: Among 6455 patients who were followed up with clinical examination, mammography and ultrasound between January 2004 and November 2011, 125 (1.93%) patients had to be investigated with a core needle biopsy of a sonographically suspicious loco-regional lymph node. Results: Among the whole series, a total of 142 ultrasound-guided core needle biopsies were performed. Follow-up for the primary tumor lasted for a median time of 6.1 years (range 1 - 27 years). Ultrasound of suspicious loco-regional lymph nodes showed a sensitivity of 89.5%, a specificity of 87.1% and a positive predictive value of 89.5%. Conclusions: In our experience, ultrasound of suspicious loco-regional lymph nodes showed good accuracy and it should be a part of the standard examinations performed during follow-up for breast cancer.
基金Supported by Grants from United Arab Emirates UniversityNational Research Foundation,No.UAEU-NRF 31M096
文摘AIM: To measure biochemical parameters in stomach biopsies and test their suitability as diagnostic biomarkers for gastritis and precancerous lesions.METHODS: Biopsies were obtained from the stomachs of two groups of patients(n = 40) undergoing fiberoptic endoscopy due to upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In the first group(n = 17), only the corpus region was examined. Biopsies were processed for microscopic examination and measurement of mitochondrial O2 consumption(cellular respiration), cellular adenosine triphosphate(ATP), glutathione(GSH), and caspase activity. In the second group of patients(n = 23), both corpus and antral regions were studied. Some biopsies were processed for microscopic examination, while the others were used for measurements of cellular respiration and GSH level.RESULTS: Microscopic examinations of gastric corpus biopsies from 17 patients revealed normal mucosae in 8 patients, superficial gastritis in 7 patients, and chronic atrophic gastritis in 1 patient. In patients with normal histology, the rate(mean ± SD) of cellular respiration was 0.17 ± 0.02 μmol/L O2 min-1 mg-1, ATP content was 487 ± 493 pmol/mg, and GSH was 469 ± 98 pmol/mg. Caspase activity was detected in 3 out of 8 specimens. The values of ATP and caspase activity were highly variable. The presence of superficial gastritis had insignificant effects on the measured biomarkers. In the patient with atrophic gastritis, cellular respiration was high andATP was relatively low, suggesting uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation. In the second cohort of patients, the examined biopsies showed either normal or superficial gastritis. The rate of cellular respiration(O2. μmol/L min-1 mg-1) was slightly higher in the corpus than the antrum(0.18 ± 0.05 vs 0.15 ± 0.04, P = 0.019). The value of GSH was about the same in both tissues(310 ± 135 vs 322 ± 155, P = 0.692).CONCLUSION: The corpus mucosa was metabolically more active than the antrum tissue. The data in this study will help in understanding the pathophysiology of gastric mucosa.
文摘Introduction: The coexistence of tuberculosis with axillary lymph node metastasis in breast carcinoma is uncommon. Observation: We report a case of a patient aged 59 years presenting a painless nodule in the right breast for one year. The scan and mammography revealed a long-axis node of 3 × 2 × 1 cm in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast ranked stage IV by the American College of Radiology (ACR), associated with a set of axillary lymph nodes and the largest one measuring 15 × 15 × 20 millimeters (mm). The breast biopsy helped diagnose a Scarff Bloom Richardson (SBR) grade II non-specific invasive carcinoma, modified by Ellis and Elston. A right mastectomy associated with a lymph node dissection was performed. We noticed a not well defined and whitish 5 mm tumor mass associated with 16 lymph nodes removed. The histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of SBR grade II non-specific invasive carcinoma with invasion of 7 lymph nodes (N+ = 7/16). In 3 metastatic lymph nodes, there were epithelioid and gigantocellular granulomas with full central necrosis. The Ziehl Neelsen staining had highlighted acid-fast bacilli. The tumor was oestrogen and progesteron receptor, without an overexpression of the oncoprotein human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which corresponds to a 0 score and the Ki 67 proliferation index assessed at 10%. The patient was given an anti-tuberculosis treatment combining Rifampicin (H), Isoniazid (I), Pyrazinamid (Z), Ethambutol (E) over 2 months and secondly a combination of Rifampicin and Isoniazid over 4 months (2RHZE/4 RH). The anti-tumor chemotherapy used a protocol combining 3 FAC60+ 3 Docetaxel (F = Fluorouracil®A = Adriblastin®, C = Cyclophosphamid). Conclusion: This coexistence is uncommon, of incidental discovery and necessitates a multidisciplinary care.
文摘Neoplasms can be considered as a group of aberrant cells that need more vascular supply to fulfill all their functions.Therefore,they promote angiogenesis through the same neovascularization pathway used physiologically.Angiogenesis is a process characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of oxygen caused by the tumor and oxidative stress;the latter being one of the most powerful stimuli of angiogenesis.As a result of altered tumor metabolism due to hypoxia,acidosis occurs.The angiogenic process and oxidative stress can be detected by measuring serum and tissue biomarkers.The study of the mechanisms underlying angiogenesis and oxidative stress could lead to the identification of new biomarkers,ameliorating the selection of patients with neoplasms and the prediction of their response to possible anti-tumor therapies.In particular,in the treatment of patients with similar clinical tumor phenotypes but different prognoses,the new biomarkers could be useful.Moreover,they may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug resistance.Experimental studies show that blocking the vascular supply results in antiproliferative activity in vivo in neuroendocrine tumor cells,which require a high vascular supply.
文摘Background: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-II receptor blockers (ARBs) have been an arguable risk factor for COVID-19 diseases because they could upregulate Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE2) expression, facilitating SARS-CoV2 entry to the lungs. Several retrospective clinical studies, however, found no such effect. Here, we explore how the use of ACEIs and ARBs links to COVID-19 across all countries of the world. Methods: Data on the availability of ACEIs and ARBs for 200 countries and on the number of cases and number of deaths per country by 28 December 2020 were extracted from WHO and Worldometer website, respectively. Data on life expectancy at age 65 years as a measure of ageing were from WHO and on Gross Domestic Product Per Capita (GDP PPP) and the percentage of urbanization were from the World Bank. Excel and SPSS v 26 software were used for statistical analyses. Results: In linear regression and logistic conditional regression analysis, GDP correlates with COVID-19 prevalence (rho = 0.66, p > 0.001) and deaths from COVID-19 (rho = 0.55, p < 0.001) while urbanization and life expectancy do not when GDP influence is controlled for. After statistically removing the effects of GDP on the prevalence and mortality from COVID-19, we found that countries without ACEI and ARB availability had lower COVID-19 cases and deaths (p < 0.02). Conclusions: Our study based on the global data contradicts findings of most published clinical studies at regional levels. We found that GDP positively correlates with prevalence of and mortality related to COVID-19. ACEI and ARB use increases COVID-19 infectivity and mortality.
文摘Aim: Datura stramonium (DS) is a known hallucinogen and depressant of the central nervous system, but it is commonly used in alcoholic beverages to increase intoxication. Pharmacological, physiological and ultra-structural studies have demonstrated the neurotoxicity of this drug inanimals and humans at high doses. The present study investigated the histological patterns of neurodegeneration of frontal cortex (FC) neurons in Wistar rats treated with high doses of DS seed extract. Materials and methods: Ethanolic extract of DS dried seeds was diluted in normal saline and administered to male and female Wistar rats weighing 200 g - 250 g. The animals were first placed in three groups which were further sub-divided into four sub-groups. The treated sub-groups received intraperitoneal administration (i.p.) of 750 mg/kg of diluted DS seed extract once daily in group 1, twice daily (1500 mg/kg/day) in group 2 and thrice daily (2250 mg/kg/day) in group 3. The treatment was carried out for 4 weeks while the control groups received normal saline during the same period. The rats were euthanized and sections of the frontal cortices of the brain were histologically processed from all groups. Silver impregnation stain for degenerating axons and neurons was used to elucidate the pattern of degeneration induced by DS seed extract on the neurons of the FC. Results: The results of intraperitoneal administration of DS extract showed no changes in groups 1 & 2 treated rats while group 3 showed a significant pattern of histological changes like axonal atrophy, vacuolization and neuronal deaths in the frontal cortices neurons compared to the controls. Conclusion: DS may have a specific pattern of neurodegeneration at higher doses of administration. This could provide a useful model in understanding how DS intoxication can affect frontal cortex neurons with an implication of neurological disorders, mental diseases and behavioural deficits.
文摘Background: cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the cellular transcription factors found in neurons. CREB is also important for the survival of neurons, and has an important role in the development of drug addiction. Datura stramonium (DS) is a tropical ubiquitous plant commonly used to increase the intoxication of certain beverages for recreational purposes. The seeds of this plant are very toxic and may produce addiction on prolong usage. This research investigated the effects of administration of high doses of DS seeds on the expression of CREB protein in both male and female rats’ frontal cortices and its implication in addiction and neurodegeneration. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with a total of 24 male and female Wistar rats weighing 200 g - 250 g. The rats were divided into three groups of 8 rats each. Each group was further divided into four sub-groups of 2 rats each. Ethanolic dried seed extract of DS was diluted in normal saline and administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) to the treatment groups. The treated sub-groups received 750 mg/kg of DS extract<sup> </sup>once in group 1, twice in group 2 and thrice in group 3 daily for 4 weeks respectively, while the control sub-groups received i.p. normal saline concurrently for the same duration of time. The rats were euthanized and an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was computed to detect a significant main difference of DS effect on CREB expression for each group, while post hoc Bonferroni Test compared CREB protein expression between male and female groups. Result: There were significant differences in the expression of CREB protein between the sub-groups and between the male and female rats of treated sub-group (p < 0.05) compared to the controls. There was a decrease in the female treated sub-groups and an increase in the male treated sub-groups compared to the respective controls. Conclusion: High doses of DS administration for a prolong time may affect the expressions of CREB protein differently in male and female treated rats which may consequently lead to addiction and neurodegeneration affecting frontal cortex neurons.
文摘Background: Young soccer players’injuries are receiving increased interest. The need of adopting injury prevention strategies to reduce financial, social and sport costs is obligated. The main purpose of this study is to analyse clinical characteristics of young soccer players in order to develop specific and effective injury prevention programs. Methods: This observational, transversal study includes 25 young soccer players from Spanish National League. Strength, motor control, flexibility and range of motion characteristics were analysed before the first preseason training. Results: Statistically significant differences were found for hip internal rotation (p value=0.001), Thomas test (p value =0.012) and ankle dorsiflexion test (p value=0.009) between both sides. Dorsiflexion test showed a positive correlation with the hip internal rotation ROM (p<0.016) and with the triple hop test (p<0.007). The hip internal rotation ROM showed a positive correlation with the Thomas test (p<0.033) and with the single leg squat test (p < 0.008). The drop jump test showed a positive correlation with the single leg squat test (p<0.039). Conclusions: Clinical characteristics shown in this study should be taken into account in order to develop specific injury prevention for this specific population. Moreover, data shown in this study can be used as norm values for young soccer semi-professional players in future researches.
文摘Consumption of fats and oils in the ancient world was examined as a window to human nutritional needs and compared with lipid usage in the modern world, post-1900. In earlier periods, the natural and only source of edible fats and oils came from both animals and plants. These fats and oils played a vital role in the evolution of the human body structure, supporting many biochemical functions. Artifacts from prehistoric periods and the ancient world had indicated that humans were evolutionarily adapted to consume saturated lipids. They also consumed unsaturated fats and oils extracted from animals and plants, now identified as omega-3 to omega-6 in the fatty acid ratio of 1:1, commonly derived from naturally consumed unprocessed products and food sources. These fats and oils assisted in providing the ingredients for the building up of cells and maintaining their structural integrity in tissues, including the brain and other important internal organs, as well as providing energy for many biochemical processes in the body. The double bonds distributed throughout fatty acid carbon chains are a characteristic of unsaturated vegetable oils. They are more structurally diverse in polyunsaturated fats and oils with the greater preponderance for carbon-to-carbon double bonds distributed in the carbon chains. These double bonds are susceptible to generating free radicals. This article considers potential problems that proponents of the prevailing diet-heart cholesterol paradigm of the past 60 years may have neglected. It also presents the possible consequences of abandoning the evolutionarily inherited foods containing extracted natural saturated and monounsaturated fats and oils. Furthermore, the article addresses the contribution of docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids to immunity and the possible connection of excess consumption of omega-6 fatty acid to the marked rise in obesity and other non-communicable diseases in modern civilization.
基金Ministry of Economy and Competition(MINECO)Co-Financed with the European Union FEDER Funds(SAF2017-88606-P,2017)SEPAR-AstraZeneca Ayudas Investigación PII Oncología 2021Becas SEPAR 2022(Proyecto 1326).
文摘Tumor-secreted extracellular vesicles(EVs)participate in the metastasis process through different mechanisms,including the preparation of the pre-metastatic niche to grant circulating tumor cells(CTCs)implantation and growth.The study of the metastasis process through the analysis of CTCs and tumor-derived EVs is difficult because of the dilution grade of these elements in peripheral blood.In early-stage lung cancer patients,the tumor-secreted products are even more diluted.An attractive strategy in surgical lung cancer patients is to purify them from a pulmonary tumor-draining vein where they are enriched.The information obtained from the analysis of EVs and CTCs purified from this source could give more accurate information about tumor biology and could be an important source of biomarkers to identify patients at high risk of relapse after curative surgery.
文摘The Museum of Human Anatomy in Naples houses a collection of ancient Graeco-Roman crania.The aim of this study was to use multislice computed tomography(MSCT)to evaluate and objectively quantify potential differences in cranial dimensions and shapes between ancient Graeco-Roman crania(n=36)and modern-day southern Italian crania(n=35)and then to characterize the cranial changes occurring over more than 2000 years,known as secular change.The authors used traditional metric criteria and morphometric geometry to compare shape differences between the sets of crania.Statistically significant differences in size between the ancient and modern crania included shorter facial length,narrower external palate,smaller minimum cranial breadth,shorter right and left mastoid processes,and wider maximum occipital and nasal breadth.The shape changes from the ancient to modern crania included a global coronal enlargement of the face and cranial diameters,with more anterior projection of the face at the anterior nasal spine,but also posterior projection at the glabella and the nasion.It is not possible to determine whether these differences result exclusively from secular changes in the cranium or from other factors,including a mix of secular change and other unknown factors.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first MSCT-based study to compare ancient Graeco-Roman and modern-day southern Italian crania and to characterize shape and size differences.
