Value of Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Inguinal Hernia - A Retrospective Study.

Purpose:  The diagnosis of an inguinal hernia is usually made clinically. Precise imaging appears to be necessary when the clinical examination is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of ultrasonography for inguinal hernias and whether it influences the decision for or against surgery.

Adipose-derived Stem Cells Added to Platelet-rich Plasma for Chronic Skin Ulcer Therapy.

Introduction: Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine applications due to their ability to promote the healing process through in situ differentiation and secretion of paracrine factor. The aim of this paper is to present a clinical adjunct for chronic skin wound therapy based on ASCs added to platelet-rich plasma (PRP), to obtain an enhanced PRP (e-PRP).

Materials And Methods: For 18 months, 24 control-group patients with 31 chronic skin ulcers were treated with standard wound care, while 16 experimental-group patients with 21 chronic skin ulcers were treated with standard wound care and 1 e-PRP injection.

LRP1/CD91 is up-regulated in monocytes from patients with haemophilia A: a single-centre analysis.

The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is an ubiquitously expressed endocytic receptor that, among its several functions, is involved in the catabolism of coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and in the regulation of its plasma concentrations. Although LRP1/CD91 polymorphisms have been associated with increased FVIII levels and a consequent thrombotic risk, no data are available on LRP1/CD91 expression in patients with inherited FVIII deficiency. With the aim of elucidating this issue, 45 consecutive patients with haemophilia A (HA) (18 severe, 5 moderate and 22 mild HA) were enrolled in this cross-sectional, single-centre survey.

Long-term results of 2 adjuvant trials reveal differences in chemosensitivity and the pattern of metastases between colon cancer and rectal cancer.

Unlabelled: Two identical randomized controlled trials designed to optimize adjuvant treatment of colon cancer (CC) (n =855) and rectal cancer (RC) (n = 796) were performed. Long-term evaluation confirmed that the addition of folinic acid (FA) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) improved 7-year overall survival (OS) in CC but not in RC and revealed different patterns of recurrence in patients with CC and those with RC.

Background: Our aim was to compare long-term results of adjuvant treatment of colon cancer (CC) and rectal cancer (RC).

Thymidylate synthase and cyclin D1 protein expression in lymph node negative colorectal cancer: role as prognostic factors?

Background/aims: Thymidylate synthase (TS) is an enzyme for DNA-synthesis and the target for 5-fluorouracil whereas cyclin-D1 plays a critical role in the progression of cells through the G1 phase of the cell-cycle. There is evidence that expression of these markers may predict the outcome of patients with colorectal cancers. The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic value of TS and cyclin D1 protein expression in patients with node negative colorectal cancers.

Evaluation of important prognostic clinical and pathological factors in gastric cancer.

Background: Gastric cancer is the fourth cancer in incidence worldwide, with a high disease-related death rate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of clinical and pathological factors for the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: We analysed data from 304 consecutive patients.

Expression of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 and their receptors in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) are anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokines which can influence cancer-directed immunosurveillance. Nothing is presently known about expression of these cytokines and their receptors (IL-4R and IL-13R) in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to characterize their expression in primary colorectal cancer specimens and to evaluate possible functions for this disease.

Microsatellite instability and Beta2-Microglobulin mutations as prognostic markers in colon cancer: results of the FOGT-4 trial.

Background: High-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H) has been reported as a prognostic marker in colon cancer. We here analysed the prognostic significance of MSI and mutations of the Beta2-Microglobulin (B2M) gene, which occur in about 30% of MSI-H colon cancer, in the cohort of the prospective FOGT-4 (Forschungsruppe Onkologie Gastrointestinale Tumoren, FOGT) trial.

Methods: Microsatellite instability status was determined using standard protocols (NCI/ICG-HNPCC panel and CAT25) in 223 colon cancer lesions.

Traumatic diaphragmatic ruptures: clinical presentation, diagnosis and surgical approach in adults.

Objective: Traumatic diaphragmatic injuries are rare, but potentially life-threatening due to herniation of abdominal organs into the pleural cavities. They can be easily overlooked on initial diagnostics and a high index of suspicion is required. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods and surgical management of patients with diaphragmatic rupture at our institution.

Evaluation of cardiovascular risk in blood donors: results of the CARDIORISK study in the Parma Transfusion Service.

Background: Cardiovascular disease, which is one of the main causes of mortality in industrialised countries, is ever increasingly the focus of prevention. In this study, called "Cardiorisk", we evaluated cardiovascular risk in the population of blood donors at the Service of Immunohaematology and Transfusion Medicine in Parma.

Patients And Methods: Between January 2007 and December 2008, 6,172 consecutive blood donors (aged 35-65 years) were enrolled in this project which entailed calculating each subject's cardiovascular risk score, based on an evaluation of both unalterable risk factors (age and gender) and modifiable risk factors (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glycaemia, smoking, hypertension) as well as anti-hypertensive and/or cholesterol-lowering therapy.

Molecular mechanism of chemoresistance by miR-215 in osteosarcoma and colon cancer cells.

Background: Translational control mediated by non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a key role in the mechanism of cellular resistance to anti-cancer drug treatment. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase (TYMS, TS) are two of the most important targets for antifolate- and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapies in the past 50 years. In this study, we investigated the roles of miR-215 in the chemoresistance to DHFR inhibitor methotrexate (MTX) and TS inhibitor Tomudex (TDX).

Mechanism of chemoresistance mediated by miR-140 in human osteosarcoma and colon cancer cells.

In this study, high-throughput microRNA (miRNA) expression analysis revealed that the expression of miR-140 was associated with chemosensitivity in osteosarcoma tumor xenografts. Tumor cells ectopically transfected with miR-140 were more resistant to methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Overexpression of miR-140 inhibited cell proliferation in both osteosarcoma U-2 OS (wt-p53) and colon cancer HCT 116 (wt-p53) cell lines, but less so in osteosarcoma MG63 (mut-p53) and colon cancer HCT 116 (null-p53) cell lines.

Interleukin-13 exerts autocrine growth-promoting effects on human pancreatic cancer, and its expression correlates with a propensity for lymph node metastases.

Background And Aims: Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine produced in cells of hematopoetic origin. It is not known whether pancreatic cancer cells produce IL-13 or whether IL-13 can modulate pancreatic cancer cell growth and influence the frequency of lymph node metastases.

Materials And Methods: Cell growth and signaling were analyzed by cell counting, colorimetric proliferation assays, fluorescent-activated cell sorting, and in vitro kinase activity assays.

Bionomy of Anicla mahalpa Schaus, 1898 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae), in the laboratory.

The genus Anicla Grote, 1874 is composed of eleven species; their larvae are harmful, mainly to native and cultivated grasses, but up to now, there is information available of only two species. This study aims at detailing the bionomy of A. mahalpa Schaus; the data were obtained from a laboratory rearing under the following settings: 20 +/- 2 masculineC, 70 +/- 10% relative humidity and 12 hours of photoperiod.

Prognostic factors influencing the survival of patients with colon cancer receiving adjuvant 5-FU treatment.

Aim: Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for stage III colon cancer. The aim of this study was to identify important prognostic factors among patients with colon cancer receiving adjuvant 5-FU-based treatment.

Methods: Data sets of 855 colon cancer patients treated between 1992 and 1999 within a multicenter adjuvant trial comparing 5-FU modulation with folinic acid or interfereron-alpha were examined.

Renal artery embolization for kidney trauma.

Kidney trauma occurs in approximately 1-5% of all traumas with the male to female ratio being 3:1. In this paper we reported two cases of male patients with kidney trauma treated by renal artery embolization. Endo-vascular embolization is an efficient method for the treatment of patient with severe renal haemorrhage preserving loss of renal parenchyma and renal function.

Treatment of Barrett's esophagus with argon plasma coagulation and antireflux surgery. A retrospective analysis.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and the results of ablation of Barrett'esophagus by endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC) followed by fundoplication.

Methodology: Between January 1999 and December 2004, 21 patients with histological proven, short BE and scheduled for fundoplication, were treated by APC. Treatment was repeated until histological confirmation of complete ablation was obtained.

Validation of biomarkers associated with 5-fluorouracil and thymidylate synthase in colorectal cancer.

Previous studies from our laboratory have identified a number of genes associated with chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) using an in vitro colon cancer cell line model. In this study, the in vivo significance of several marker genes in terms of prognostic potential was evaluated using colorectal cancer patient samples. Eight marker genes were selected based on their functional roles and significant fold changes in expression.

Prognostic Values of microRNAs in Colorectal Cancer.

The functions of non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) in tumorigenesis are just beginning to emerge. Previous studies from our laboratory have identified a number of miRNAs that were deregulated in colon cancer cell lines due to the deletion of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. In this study, the in vivo significance of some of these miRNAs was further evaluated using colorectal clinical samples.