A review of the challenges, learnings and future directions of home handheld spirometry in interstitial lung disease.

Background: Patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) require regular physician visits and referral to specialist ILD clinics. Difficulties or delays in accessing care can limit opportunities to monitor disease trajectory and response to treatment, and the COVID-19 pandemic has added to these challenges. Therefore, home monitoring technologies, such as home handheld spirometry, have gained increased attention as they may help to improve access to care for patients with ILD.

Oral tongue carcinoma: prognostic changes according to the updated 2020 version of the AJCC/UICC TNM staging system.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the 2017 8 TNM edition and the latest update in 2020 compared to the 7 in a large cohort of patients affected by oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), considering all stages.

Materials And Methods: The cohort involved 300 patients affected by OTSCC treated with surgery. All cases were classified according to the 7, 8 (2017), and the latest updated TNM edition (October 2020),.

Can the First Fasting Plasma Glucose Test in Pregnancy Predict Subsequent Gestational Complications?

Objective: To determine the best cut-off level of pregnant women's first fasting plasma glucose (FFPG) test results for the prediction of subsequent onset of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to examine the association between FFPG and maternal and neonatal outcomes in a large Caucasian population.

Methods: 1437 medical records of women with singleton pregnancies followed up between 2015 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Data on FFPG tested in the first trimester and 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) findings performed according to IADPSG criteria and Italian guidelines were collected and evaluated.

Tongue cancer treatment and oncological outcomes: The role of glossectomy classification.

Background: Nowadays surgery remains the gold standard of treatment for tongue cancer. Via a more clear and precise terminology, the glossectomy classification by Ansarin et al. facilitates shared communication between surgeons, allowing comparison between published research and improving surgical practice and patient care.

Dose-dependent inactivation of airway tryptase with a novel dissociating anti-tryptase antibody (MTPS9579A) in healthy participants: A randomized trial.

Tryptase is the most abundant secretory granule protein in human lung mast cells and plays an important role in asthma pathogenesis. MTPS9579A is a novel monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits tryptase activity by dissociating active tetramers into inactive monomers. The safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PKs), and systemic and airway pharmacodynamics (PDs) of MTPS9579A were assessed in healthy participants.

Translational and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic application for the clinical development of GDC-0334, a novel TRPA1 inhibitor.

GDC-0334 is a novel small molecule inhibitor of transient receptor potential cation channel member A1 (TRPA1), a promising therapeutic target for many nervous system and respiratory diseases. The pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of GDC-0334 were evaluated in this first-in-human (FIH) study. A starting single dose of 25 mg was selected based on integrated preclinical PK, PD, and toxicology data following oral administration of GDC-0334 in guinea pigs, rats, dogs, and monkeys.

The T-N tract involvement as a new prognostic factor for PORT in locally advanced oral cavity tumors.

Objective: The space comprised between tumor and neck lymph nodes (T-N tract) is one of the main routes of tumor spread in oral cavity tumors. Aim of the study was to investigate the impact of T-N tract involvement on the postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Patients (pts) treated between 2000 and 2016 with indication to PORT were retrospectively retrieved.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prognostic role of age in oral tongue cancer.

While evidence suggests an increasing incidence of tongue cancer in young adults, published findings regarding the prognostic role of age at diagnosis are inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis of the literature to highlight key points that might help in understanding the association between age of oral tongue cancer patients at diagnosis and their prognosis. According to age at diagnosis, a systematic literature review of all published cohort studies assessing the recurrence risks and mortality associated with tongue cancer was conducted.

Ethnicity as modifier of risk for Vitamin D receptors polymorphisms: Comprehensive meta-analysis of all cancer sites.

Vitamin D receptors polymorphisms are found to be associated with several cancers. Since their prevalence vary across ethnicities and ethnicity itself seems to influence the cancer risk, a comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to investigate the role of VDR Fok1, Bsm1, Taq1, Apa1, Cdx2 and cancer risk at specific organ sites. Odds ratios, calculated with random-effects models, summarized one-hundred-ninety-two independent studies for twenty-two cancer sites.

A Phase 1b Study of Vismodegib with Pirfenidone in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Introduction: Components of the hedgehog signaling pathway are upregulated in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Vismodegib, a small-molecule inhibitor of hedgehog signaling, when used in combination with currently available antifibrotic therapy, may be more efficacious than antifibrotics alone. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of vismodegib plus pirfenidone in patients with IPF.

Subtyping Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Peripheral Blood Proteomics.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disorder. COPD patients may have different clinical features, imaging characteristics and natural history. Multiple studies have investigated heterogeneity using statistical methods such as unsupervised clustering to define different subgroups of COPD based largely on clinical phenotypes.

A Pharmacokinetic Bioequivalence Study Comparing Pirfenidone Tablet and Capsule Dosage Forms in Healthy Adult Volunteers.

Introduction: Pirfenidone film-coated tablets were developed to offer an alternative to the marketed capsule formulation. This study assessed the bioequivalence of the tablet and capsule formulations under fed and fasted states.

Methods: A Phase I, open-label, randomized, four-treatment-period, four-sequence, crossover pharmacokinetics study (NCT02525484) was conducted.

In situ nondestructive identification of natural dyes in ancient textiles by reflection fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy.

Silk embroideries and cotton grounds of ancient Caucasian (Kaitag) textiles were analyzed in situ by a portable Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer equipped with a reflection module. Differently colored areas were analyzed for the purpose of identifying the dyes fixed on the fibers. The spectra so obtained were elaborated by calculating the corresponding second derivative, and a library search was then performed using a database including the second derivative spectra of a large range of historical dyes and the corresponding undyed fibers.

Identifying a gene expression signature of frequent COPD exacerbations in peripheral blood using network methods.

Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by acute deterioration in symptoms, may be due to bacterial or viral infections, environmental exposures, or unknown factors. Exacerbation frequency may be a stable trait in COPD patients, which could imply genetic susceptibility. Observing the genes, networks, and pathways that are up- and down-regulated in COPD patients with differing susceptibility to exacerbations will help to elucidate the molecular signature and pathogenesis of COPD exacerbations.

The association of plasma biomarkers with computed tomography-assessed emphysema phenotypes.

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a phenotypically heterogeneous disease. In COPD, the presence of emphysema is associated with increased mortality and risk of lung cancer. High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans are useful in quantifying emphysema but are associated with radiation exposure and high incidence of false positive findings (i.

Hypoxic liver perfusion with mitomycin-C for treating multifocal metastases and unresectable primary tumours: a single-centre series of 42 patients.

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the feasibility, toxicity and impact on overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival of intra-arterial liver perfusion with mitomycin-C (MMC) [hypoxic liver perfusion with MMC (HLPM)] in patients with multifocal liver metastases or with unresectable primary liver tumours.

Materials And Methods: Forty-two patients underwent 56 intra-arterial liver infusions with MMC between June 2001 and May 2009. The patients presented specific characteristics, i.

Radiation-induced bystander effect in healthy G(o) human lymphocytes: biological and clinical significance.

To study the bystander effects, G(0) human peripheral blood lymphocytes were X-irradiated with 0.1, 0.5 and 3 Gy.

Relationship between spontaneous or radiation-induced apoptosis and telomere shortening in G(0) human lymphocytes.

To examine the correlation between spontaneous or radiation-induced apoptosis and telomere shortening, G(0) human peripheral blood lymphocytes were irradiated with X-rays and analyzed for viability, apoptosis, and telomere length. Part of the lymphocytes was kept under liquid-holding conditions for 48 h, and then loaded onto Ficoll-Paque medium to separate apoptotic (high-density) from normal (normal-density) cells. Then all samples were examined for the same three end-points.

Effect of storage conditions of blood on radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations and apoptosis in human lymphocytes.

To evaluate the effect of storage conditions of blood on the direct relationship between radiation-induced chromosome aberrations and apoptosis in human peripheral blood lymphocytes, whole blood was irradiated with 3Gy X-rays. Directly after irradiation, a sample of blood was analyzed for chromosome damage and proliferation index, after phytohaemagglutinin stimulation and incubation at 37 degrees C for 56h. Blood samples were stored for 48h at 4 and 20 degrees C with or without phytohaemagglutinin and analyzed for cell viability and apoptosis at 0, 24 and 48h storage time.

Near-infrared reflectance models for the rapid prediction of quality of brewing raw materials.

Calibration models for quickly and reliably predicting moisture content and total nitrogen, both "as is" and "dry matter" on malt, as well as moisture content and total lipids, both "as is" and "dry matter", on maize by means of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy were developed. The FT-NIR spectra recorded on the finely ground cereals were correlated to the analytical data by means of the multivariate PLS algorithm. In particular, these models were developed on the raw materials, which are used by the main Italian brewing industries.

Effects of storage conditions of human whole blood on the viability of lymphocytes.

Purpose: To investigate the optimal storage conditions of human whole blood to retain viability of lymphocytes.

Material And Methods: Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) stimulated and unstimulated human whole blood samples were stored for 48-96 h up to one week at 4 degrees C, 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C and were analysed for apoptosis. After 96 h and one week of storage unstimulated cultures were stimulated to proliferate.

Successful treatment of bronchial dehiscence with endobronchial stent in lung transplantation.

Bronchial dehiscence in lung transplantation is still a significant and threatening cause of morbidity, even if several progresses have been made in this field. In the present report we discuss a case of incomplete dehiscence of the right bronchial anastomosis in a patient who underwent sequential double lung transplantation for bronchiectasis. This complication has been successfully treated with endobronchial stent positioning, with the aim to allow the healing of the anastomosis around a rigid endobronchial support and to prevent the airway stenosis.

Apoptosis preferentially eliminates irradiated g0 human lymphocytes bearing dicentric chromosomes.

G(0) human peripheral blood lymphocytes were X-irradiated to determine whether there is a direct relationship between radiation-induced dicentric chromosomes and the triggering of apoptosis. Immediately after X-ray exposure, control and irradiated lymphocytes were analyzed for viability, apoptosis and chromosome damage using the premature chromosome condensation technique. A batch of lymphocytes was kept in liquid holding for 48 h and then loaded on Ficoll-Paque medium to separate apoptotic (high-density) and normal (normal-density) cells.