Publications by authors named "A Spina"

Background: Ovarian cancer (OvC) constitutes significant management challenges primarily due to its late-stage diagnosis and the development of resistance to chemotherapy. The standard treatment regimen typically includes carboplatin and paclitaxel, with the addition of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors for patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) harboring BRCA1/2 mutations. However, the variability in treatment responses suggests the need to investigate factors beyond BRCA1/2 mutations, such as DNA repair mechanisms and epigenetic alterations.

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, considerable advances have been made to improve epidemic preparedness by accelerating diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccine development. However, we argue that it is crucial to make equivalent efforts in the field of outbreak analytics to help ensure reliable, evidence-based decision making. To explore the challenges and key priorities in the field of outbreak analytics, the Epiverse-TRACE initiative brought together a multidisciplinary group of experts, including field epidemiologists, data scientists, academics, and software engineers from public health institutions across multiple countries.

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The axis CXCL12-CXCR4 is highly expressed in ovarian cancer where contributes to disease progression. Aim of the work was to evaluate the effect of the newly developed CXCR4 antagonist R54 on human ovarian cancer cells aggressiveness. CXCL12-CXCR4 axis was evaluated in human ovarian cancer cells through proliferation, migration and signaling CXCL12-dependents.

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This study focused on the interplay between NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX 2) activation and mitochondrial superoxide (mitoO) formation induced by clinically relevant concentrations of arsenic trioxide (ATO; AsO) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells. Carefully controlled inhibitor studies and small interfering RNA mediated downregulation of p47 (a component of the NOX 2 complex) expression demonstrated that, in an APL cell line, ATO promotes upstream NOX 2 activation critically connected with the formation of mitoO and with the ensuing mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-dependent apoptosis. Instead, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines respond to ATO with low NOX 2 activation, resulting in a state that is non-permissive for mitoO formation.

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Purpose: To determine risk factors for meibomian gland disease and associated structural abnormalities in meibography among young medical trainees.

Methods: This study included 84 medical students and residents younger than 45 years. All participants completed an ocular history and lifestyle questionnaire and the standardized patient evaluation of eye dryness (SPEED) II questionnaire.

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