TGF-β induces miR-100 and miR-125b but blocks let-7a through LIN28B controlling PDAC progression.

TGF-β/Activin induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and stemness in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, the microRNAs (miRNAs) regulated during this response have remained yet undetermined. Here, we show that TGF-β transcriptionally induces MIR100HG lncRNA, containing miR-100, miR-125b and let-7a in its intron, via SMAD2/3.

DTI-derived indexes of brain WM correlate with cognitive performance in vascular MCI and small-vessel disease. A TBSS study.

Indexes derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) are sensitive to changes of both T2-hyperintense and normal-appearing brain white matter (WM) in elderly subjects with variable cognitive status. We investigated correlations between global cognitive performance and DTI-derived indexes along the WM tracts in the brain of patients with vascular mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and small vessel disease (SVD). Seventy-six patients with vascular MCI and SVD were assessed through Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) test and underwent DTI examination on a 1.

Effectiveness of yoga and educational intervention on disability, anxiety, depression, and pain in people with CLBP: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The current study investigates the effects of an 8-week yoga program with educational intervention compared with an informational pamphlet on disability, anxiety, depression, and pain, in people affected by chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: Thirty individuals (age 34.2 ± 4.

Role of optical coherence tomography in identifying sub-optimal stent positioning and predicting major adverse cardiac events in a comparative study with angiography: a CLIO-OPCI II sub-study.

Background: Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) is the gold standard for evaluating correct stenting, despite its limitation in recognizing features indicative of suboptimal deployment. This subanalysis of the CLI-OPCI II registry addressed the role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to verify whether suboptimal OCT deployment occurs in the presence of an optimal angiographic result.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 125 lesions in the 105 patients with major adverse cardiac events of the CLI-OPCI II.

Five-Coordinate Platinum(II) Compounds Containing Sugar Ligands: Synthesis, Characterization, Cytotoxic Activity, and Interaction with Biological Macromolecules.

This article describes the synthesis and characterization of novel cationic five-coordinate Pt(II) complexes containing nitrogen sugar-based ligands. The cytotoxicity of the complexes was evaluated on different cell lines with the expectation that both the coordinative saturation and the sugar moiety cooperate to enhance their biological activity. In fact, the complexes resulted to be more active than cisplatin but still with little selectivity.

Loss of Renal Function After Retrograde Ureteral Placement of an Allium Stent for Severe Ureteral Stricture.

Ureteral strictures are a recurrent chronic condition that leads to severe side effects and poor quality of life. Management of ureteral stricture is a great challenge for urologists and no specific guidelines exist. Retrograde Allium ureteral stent (AUS) is a newly developed ureteral stent to treat either bulbar urethral or ureteral stenosis.

I performed experiments and I have results. Wow, and now?

Unlabelled: Writing a scientific article is not an easy task, but it is definitely a great satisfaction to be able to conclude and publish it. Indeed, each publication is a service we make to the entire scientific community and to the advancement of science even before our personal career. There is and there will not be a final book/article for writing a scientific paper.

Modulation of oncogenic miRNA biogenesis using functionalized polyamines.

MicroRNAs are key factors in the regulation of gene expression and their deregulation has been directly linked to various pathologies such as cancer. The use of small molecules to tackle the overexpression of oncogenic miRNAs has proved its efficacy and holds the promise for therapeutic applications. Here we describe the screening of a 640-compound library and the identification of polyamine derivatives interfering with in vitro Dicer-mediated processing of the oncogenic miR-372 precursor (pre-miR-372).

Effects of ZnO nanoparticles in the Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus).

Most studies investigating the toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) focused on the effect of size, whereas exposure concentration and duration remained poorly understood. In this study, the effect of acute and sub-acute exposures of ZnO NPs on Zn compartmentalization and biomarkers' expression were investigated in Rutilus rutilus caspicus (Caspian roach) considering various exposure scenarios: i) the assessment of the concentration-response curves and median lethal concentration (LC); ii) the assessment of the effects of organisms exposed at LC value and one tenth of LC value of ZnO NPs suspensions for 4 d and 28 d, respectively; iii) the assessment of 14 d depuration period. The same concentrations of ZnSO were investigated.

Effects of Acute Alcohol Exposure on Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons of Juvenile Mice.

Early-onset drinking during childhood or preadolescence is a serious social problem. Yet, most of the basic neurobiological research on the acute effects of ethanol has been carried out on adult or early postnatal animals. We studied the effect of alcohol exposure on the basic electrophysiological properties and cell viability of layer 5 pyramidal neurons from the somatosensory cortex of juvenile (P21-P23) C57BL/6N mice.

Pronounced Structural and Functional Damage in Early Adult Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis with No or Minimal Clinical Disability.

Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) may represent a model of vulnerability to damage occurring during a period of active maturation of the human brain. Whereas adaptive mechanisms seem to take place in the POMS brain in the short-medium term, natural history studies have shown that these patients reach irreversible disability, despite slower progression, at a significantly younger age than adult-onset MS (AOMS) patients. We tested for the first time whether significant brain alterations already occurred in POMS patients in their early adulthood and with no or minimal disability ( = 15) in comparison with age- and disability-matched AOMS patients ( = 14) and to normal controls (NC,  = 20).

Effective Utilization of MRI in the Diagnosis and Management of Multiple Sclerosis.

MRI is the most important tool for diagnosis and management of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). MRI shows high sensitivity for detection of white matter lesions in the central nervous system and specificity for lesion dissemination in space and time. MRI is also used for tracking disease activity, prognostic evaluation, and monitoring the efficacy and safety of disease-modifying treatments.

Comparison of cholecystectomy and percutaneous cholecystostomy in acute cholecystitis: results of a retrospective study.

Objective: To retrospectively compare the clinical outcomes of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) and cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to an urban University Hospital.

Patients And Methods: We studied 646 patients with acute cholecystitis. Ninety patients had placement of a PC at their index hospitalization, and 556 underwent cholecystectomy.

Identifying a better strategy for ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with anticipated unfavorable radial access: the Little Women study.

Background: Transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) offers important advantages over transfemoral PCI, including better outcomes. However, when there is indication to ad hoc PCI, a 6 French workflow is a common default strategy, hence potentially influencing vascular access selection in patients with anticipated small size radial artery.

Methods: A multidimensional evaluation was performed to compare two ad hoc interventional strategies in women <160cm: a full 6 French workflow (namely 6 French introducer sheath, diagnostic catheters and guiding catheter) with a modified workflow consisting in the use of 5 French diagnostic catheters preceded by the placement of a 6 French sheath introducer and followed by a 6 French guiding catheter use for PCI.

Secondary Laparoscopic Cytoreduction in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer: A Large, Single-Institution Experience.

Study Objective: To analyze the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic secondary cytoreductive surgery in a retrospective series of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

Design: Retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

Setting: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.

Diffuse brain damage in normal tension glaucoma.

Brain changes within and beyond the visual system have been demonstrated in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), the most common type of glaucoma. These changes have been often interpreted as a neurodegenerative process due, at least partially, to the raised intraocular pressure (IOP). In this context, normal tension glaucoma (NTG), a form of POAG with IOP <21 mm Hg despite the typical glaucomatous findings, represents the most suitable model of glaucoma to test the validity of this hypothesis.

The IARA Model as an Integrative Approach to Promote Autonomy in COPD Patients through Improvement of Self-Efficacy Beliefs and Illness Perception: A Mixed-Method Pilot Study.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most deadly and costly chronic diseases in the world characterized by many breathing problems. The management of COPD and the prevention of exacerbations are a priority goals to improve the quality of life in patients affected by this illness. In addition, it is also crucial to improve the patients' adherence to care which, in turn, depends on their knowledge and understanding of some factors such as the prescribed medical treatment, changes in dailylife, and the process of breathing.

Genetic variation is associated with RTN4R expression and working memory processing in healthy humans.

The Nogo receptor (NgR) is implicated in neurodevelopmental processes and it participates in inhibiting axonal growth. Consistent with its high levels of expression in the prefrontal cortex, animal studies indicate that NgR is relevant for prefrontal-related cognitive processing. Given that genetic variation may alter mechanisms of gene expression impacting molecular and systems-level phenotypes, we investigated the association of genetic variation with the expression of the NgR coding gene (RTN4R), as well as with prefrontal correlates at progressively greater biological distance from gene effects.

An innovative mindfulness and educational care approach in an adult patient affected by gastroesophageal reflux: the IARA model.

Patients affected by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have a poor quality of life caused by several manifestations such as cough, asthma, laryngitis and dental erosion. The clinical conditions are highly disabling for patients and symptoms are difficult to manage. These conditions lead to many discomforts which contribute to an increase of the disease perception.

Hepatoceliac Lymph Node Involvement in Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients: Prognostic Role and Clinical Considerations.

Background: The study aimed too investigate the rate of hepatoceliac lymph node (HCLN) involvement, as well as its association with clinicopathologic features, together with morbidity of HCLN resection and the prognostic impact of metastatic HCLN status on patients with advanced ovarian cancer (OC) undergoing cytoreductive surgery.

Methods: All consecutive patients with stages 3c to 4 epithelial OC who underwent HCLN surgery from January 2010 to September 2016 were analyzed for surgical procedures, pathology, and oncologic outcomes.

Results: During the study period, 85 patients underwent HCLN resection.