Intraluminal gel ultrasound and eco-color doppler: new tools for the study of colorectal cancer in mice.

Aim: Azoxymethane (AOM) is a potent carcinogen that induces colorectal cancer in mice. Intraluminal gel ultrasound is a technique based on the injection of gel into the rectum. This technique allows the colon to be straightened and to visualize and identify tumours.

Dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes with oligo(p-phenylene-ethynylene) spacers: experimental foundations and theoretical predictions on potential molecular magnetic wires.

Two novel double-stranded dicopper(II) metallacyclophanes of formula (nBu4N)4[Cu2(dpeba)2]·4MeOH·2Et2O (1) and (nBu4N)4[Cu2(tpeba)2]·12H2O (2) have been prepared by the Cu(II)-mediated self-assembly of the rigid ('rod-like') bridging ligands N,N'-4,4'-diphenylethynebis(oxamate) (dpeba) and N,N'-1,4-di(4-phenylethynyl)phenylenebis(oxamate) (tpeba), respectively. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 1 confirms the presence of a dicopper(II)tetraaza[3.3]4,4'-diphenylethynophane metallacyclic structure featuring a very long intermetallic distance between the two square planar Cu(II) ions [r = 14.

Emerging pathways as individualized therapeutic target of multiple myeloma.

Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy, which causes significant morbidity due to organ damage and bone tissue destruction. In recent years, novel drugs have become available for MM therapy thanks to the growing knowledge of disease pathobiology.

Areas Covered: Intrinsic genetic lesions, as well as the bone marrow microenvironment, contribute to the activation of proliferation and survival pathways, impairment of cell death mechanisms and drug resistance.

[Prevalence of infectious agents in indigenous women of childbearing age in Venezuela].

Introduction: The ToRCH syndrome includes the following infectious pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii, rubella, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. In susceptible pregnant women, these pathogens can cause abortions and congenital malformation in the newborn babies.

Objective: The seroprevalence of infection by ToRCH agents was determined in women of childbearing age in several Venezuelan Yukpa indigenous communities.

Australasian sequestrate fungi 18: Solioccasus polychromus gen. & sp. nov., a richly colored, tropical to subtropical, hypogeous fungus.

Solioccasus polychromus gen. & sp. nov.

The enigmatic truffle Fevansia aurantiaca is an ectomycorrhizal member of the Albatrellus lineage.

Fevansia aurantiaca is an orange-colored truffle that has been collected infrequently in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. This sequestrate, hypogeous fungus was originally thought to be related to the genera Rhizopogon or Alpova in the Boletales, but the large, inflated cells in the trama and the very pale spore mass easily segregated it from these genera. To date, no molecular phylogenetic studies have determined its closest relatives.

Cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione-based antiproliferative agents: design, synthesis, and cytotoxic evaluation.

Background: Tumors are diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell growth and, in spite of the progress of medicine over the years, continue to represent a major threat to the health, requiring new therapies. Several synthetic compounds, such as those derived from natural sources, have been identified as anticancer drugs; among these compounds quinone represent the second largest class of anticancer agents in use. Several studies have shown that these act on tumor cells through several mechanisms.

Malpractice and medical liability. European Guidelines on Methods of Ascertainment and Criteria of Evaluation.

The manuscript presents the European Guidelines on medico-legal Methods of Ascertainment and Criteria of Evaluation in cases of suspected subjective "Medical Responsibility and/or Liability" developed by an international working group under the patronage of the European Academy of Legal Medicine. It includes a step-by-step illustrated explanation of approved Flow Charts, articulated in 18 sequential steps and comprehensive of both Methods of Ascertainment and Evaluation Criteria.

Multielectron transfer in a dicopper(II) anthraquinophane.

The new dinuclear copper(II) metallacyclophane with the non-innocent N,N'-1,4-bis(oxamate)-9,10-anthraquinone bridging ligand possesses a dual multielectron redox behavior featuring stepwise one-electron oxidation of the antiferromagnetically coupled Cu(II) ions and two-electron reduction of the anthraquinone spacers in a π-stacked anti conformation.

Evaluation of photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy for simultaneous measurement of N2 O and CO2 gas concentrations and fluxes at the soil surface.

Simultaneous measurement of N2 O and CO2 flux at the soil surface with photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy (PAS) is gaining popularity due to portability, low maintenance, and ease-of-operation. However, the ability of PAS to measure N2 O with accuracy and precision similar to gas chromatography (GC) is uncertain due to overlap in N2 O, CO2 , and H2 O absorbance spectra combined with the large range in analyte concentrations. We tested the ability of six PAS units to simultaneously measure N2 O and CO2 gas concentrations and fluxes with accuracy and precision similar to two GC units.

Characterization of the THz radiation source at the Frascati linear accelerator.

The linac driven coherent THz radiation source at the SPARC-LAB test facility is able to deliver broadband THz pulses with femtosecond shaping. In addition, high peak power, narrow spectral bandwidth THz radiation can be also generated, taking advantage of advanced electron beam manipulation techniques, able to generate an adjustable train of electron bunches with a sub-picosecond length and with sub-picosecond spacing. The paper reports on the manipulation, characterization, and transport of the electron beam in the bending line transporting the beam down to the THz station, where different coherent transition radiation spectra have been measured and studied with the aim to optimize the THz radiation performances.

Regulation of Translation Initiation under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.

Plants have developed versatile strategies to deal with the great variety of challenging conditions they are exposed to. Among them, the regulation of translation is a common target to finely modulate gene expression both under biotic and abiotic stress situations. Upon environmental challenges, translation is regulated to reduce the consumption of energy and to selectively synthesize proteins involved in the proper establishment of the tolerance response.

[Turner's syndrome 45,X/46Xdel(X)(q21): a case report].

Turner's syndrome was described by Otto Ullrich (1930) and Henry Turner (1938). An estimated 1 from 2,000 to 3,000 female babies and 1% of the conceptions of female embryos and fetuses have this condition, and 95 to 99% of them result in miscarriage during the first trimester. The case presented concerns a 15 y/o girl who consulted due to primary amenorrhea.

Yeast model for evaluating the pathogenic significance of SDHB, SDHC and SDHD mutations in PHEO-PGL syndrome.

SDH genes, encoding succinate dehydrogenase, act as tumour suppressor genes, linking mitochondrial dysfunction with tumourigenesis. Heterozygous germline mutations in SDHA, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD and in the assembly factor encoding gene SDHAF2 have all been shown to predispose to heritable endocrine neoplasias such as pheochromocytomas (PHEO) and paragangliomas (PGLs) called 'PHEO-PGL syndrome'. SDH genes mutations, in addition to deletions or truncations which are most likely pathogenic, often include missense substitutions which can be of uncertain significance.

Real-time elastography: a useful tool for predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules with nondiagnostic cytologic findings.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of sonography and sonographic elastography in thyroid nodules with nondiagnostic cytologic findings.

Methods: The study included 101 patients (74 female, mean age ± SD, 55 ± 11 years [range, 27-70 years]; and 27 male, mean age, 62 ± 9 years [range, 42-72 years]) who had at least 1 nodule with nondiagnostic cytologic findings at two different fine-needle aspiration cytologic evaluations and with an indication for hemi or total thyroidectomy for clinical suspicion of malignancy, nodule size, or the occurrence of a coexisting nodule with cytologic findings suspicious for malignancy. All of the patients underwent sonography and elastography 2 months after the second fine-needle aspiration and before surgery.

Evaluation of the in vitro and in vivo antiangiogenic effects of denosumab and zoledronic acid.

Denosumab (Dmab) and zoledronic acid (ZOL) are antiresorptive agents, with different mechanisms of action, that are indicated for delaying the onset of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors. Clinical and preclinical data suggest that ZOL may have also anti-angiogenic activity; however, the effects of Dmab (a fully humanized antibody against the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand) on angiogenesis are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the potential anti-angiogenic activity of Dmab with that of ZOL in preclinical models.

Redox switching of the antiferromagnetic coupling in permethylated dicopper(II) paracyclophanes.

A unique magnetic electroswitching behavior has been observed in an oxamato-based permethylated dicopper(II) paracyclophane; upon reversible one-electron oxidation of the double tetramethyl-substituted p-phenylenediamidate bridging skeleton, the spin alignment of the two Cu(II) ions (S(Cu) = ½) changes from antiparallel (OFF) to parallel (ON) in the resulting dicopper(II) π-radical cation species.

Circadian variation of breakthrough pain in cancer patients.

Background: Breakthrough cancer pain (BTP) can place physical, psychological and economic burdens on patients and their productive life. By preventing instead of treating BTP after it occurs, the efficacy of analgesic treatment in cancer patients could be maximized. With this study, we investigated circadian variations in the occurrence of BTP events in cancer patients.

Thyreotropin levels in diabetic patients on metformin treatment.

Objective: A retrospective study to evaluate the changes in TSH concentrations in diabetic patients treated or not treated with metformin and/or L-thyroxine (L-T(4)).

Methods: Three hundred and ninety three euthyroid diabetic patients were divided into three groups on the basis of metformin and/or L-T(4) treatment: Group (M-/L-), 119 subjects never treated with metformin and L-T(4); Group (M+/L-), 203 subjects who started metformin treatment at recruitment; and Group (M+/L+), 71 patients on L-T(4) who started metformin recruitment.

Results: The effect of metformin on serum TSH concentrations was analyzed in relation to the basal value of TSH (below 2.

Regulation of Translation Initiation under Abiotic Stress Conditions in Plants: Is It a Conserved or Not so Conserved Process among Eukaryotes?

For years, the study of gene expression regulation of plants in response to stress conditions has been focused mainly on the analysis of transcriptional changes. However, the knowledge on translational regulation is very scarce in these organisms, despite in plants, as in the rest of the eukaryotes, translational regulation has been proven to play a pivotal role in the response to different stresses. Regulation of protein synthesis under abiotic stress was thought to be a conserved process, since, in general, both the translation factors and the translation process are basically similar in eukaryotes.

New Elaphomyces species (Elaphomycetaceae, Eurotiales, Ascomycota) from Guyana.

Elaphomyces compleximurus sp. nov. and E.

A novel menin gene deletional mutation in a little series of Italian patients affected by apparently sporadic multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome.

Aim: To perform a genetic screening for the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene mutations in patients affected by an apparently sporadic form of the disease, referred to an internal medicine unit of a large general hospital.

Subjects And Methods: In a group of 12 consecutive patients presenting clinical features of MEN type 1 syndrome, we performed a genetic screening for germline MEN1 gene mutations, including complete sequencing of the coding region (exons 2 to 10) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis for large deletion detection.

Results: Among these patients affected by apparently sporadic MEN type 1 syndrome, a targeted clinical history could detect indirect support for a diagnosis of familial condition only in 2 cases.

MAX mutations cause hereditary and sporadic pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

Purpose: Pheochromocytomas (PCC) and paragangliomas (PGL) are genetically heterogeneous neural crest-derived neoplasms. Recently we identified germline mutations in a new tumor suppressor susceptibility gene, MAX (MYC-associated factor X), which predisposes carriers to PCC. How MAX mutations contribute to PCC/PGL and associated phenotypes remain unclear.

Heparin induced thrombocytopenia: case presentation and review.

Unlabelled: Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an adverse effect of heparin therapy with possibly devastating consequences. We present a case of HIT Type II. An in-depth review of HIT is presented, examining the important clinical symptoms and diagnostic indicators.

Genetic basis of non-syndromic anomalies of human tooth number.

Teeth organogenesis develops through a well-ordered series of inductive events involving genes and BMP, FGF, SHH and WNT represent the main signalling pathways that regulate epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Moreover, progress in genetics and molecular biology indicates that more than 300 genes are involved in different phases of teeth development. Mutations in genes involved in odontogenesis are responsible for many dental anomalies, including a number of dental anomalies that can be associated with other systemic skeletal or organic manifestations (syndromic dental anomalies) or not (non-syndromic dental anomalies).