Cytisine for smoking cessation: A 40-day treatment with an induction period.

Introduction: Cytisine is a smoking cessation drug now used worldwide. Most of the data available in the literature predict a 25-day treatment, accepted on the basis of previous clinical experience in Eastern Europe. There are few studies on dosing, and only recently some researchers have tried a longer treatment period.

Personalized and targeted mutational analysis of multiple second primary melanomas under kinase inhibitors.

Background: Second primary melanomas (SPMs) are new developed primary melanomas occurring in a subset of patients affected by BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma during treatment with BRAF-inhibitors. A drug-induced paradoxical activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in BRAF-wild type/RAS-mutated cells have been proposed as a possible molecular mechanism but data on the mutational status of SPMs are lacking. In order to better understand genetic alterations affecting the biological mechanism of SPMs, we performed a personalized and targeted next-generation sequencing analysis of a patient affected by metastatic melanoma who developed multiple SPMs during treatment with encorafenib (LGX818).

Seriate cytology vs molecular analysis of peritoneal washing to improve gastric cancer cells detection.

Background: Intraperitoneal malignant cells detection in patients with gastric cancer is associated with a significant decrease in overall survival. The overall accuracy of cytological examination of peritoneal lavages, however, is quite low, and intraperitoneal recurrence has been observed even in patients with negative cytology. Immunocytochemistry and molecular techniques have been investigated to improve high-risk patients' identification with variable results.

Association between osteoprotegerin G1181C and T245G polymorphisms and diabetic charcot neuroarthropathy: a case-control study.

Objective: Charcot neuroarthropathy is a disabling complication of diabetes. Although its pathogenesis remains unknown, we suppose that genetics may play a relevant role.

Research Design And Methods: We performed a case-control study with 59 subjects with diabetic Charcot neuroarthropathy (Ch group), 41 with diabetic neuropathy without Charcot neuroarthropathy (ND group), and 103 healthy control subjects (H group) to evaluate the impact of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the osteoprotegerin gene (G1181C and T245G) on the risk of Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Topiramate and triptans revert chronic migraine with medication overuse to episodic migraine.

Objective: This is a randomized, double-blind versus placebo study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of topiramate (TPM) in reducing the number of days with headache and the amount of acute medication taken monthly in patients with chronic migraine with medication overuse. We also studied the efficacy of single triptans available in Italy in interrupting headache crises during preventive treatment.

Methods: The studied sample was made up of 50 subjects: 30 patients were randomized for treatment with TPM, 100 mg/d, and 20 for placebo.

Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis of apoptosis-regulating gene expression in human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: To determine whether an imbalanced interaction between proapototic and antiapoptotic signals may account for the loss of the normal cell growth control in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the expression of some apoptosis-regulating genes (bcl-2, bax, c-myc, fas) was investigated.

Patients And Methods: BPH specimens were obtained from 20 patients who underwent trans-urethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or adenomectomy. Gene expression was studied by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and its correlation with age and serum PSA level was also investigated.

Human hepatocytes in mice receiving pre-immune injection with human cord blood cells.

It is well established that certain subpopulations of human adult stem cells can generate hepatocyte-like cells when transplanted into adult immunosuppressed mice. In the present study, we wanted to explore whether xeno-transplantation of human cord blood CD34(+) (hCBCD34(+)) cells during pre-immune stages of development in immunocompetent mice might also lead to human-mouse liver chimerism. Freshly isolated hCBCD34(+) cells were xeno-transplanted into non-immunosuppressed mice by both intra-blastocyst and intra-fetal injections.

Apoptosis-related gene expression affected by a GnRH analogue without induction of programmed cell death in LNCaP cells.

Background: In this study we confirmed the ability of a Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) agonist, leuprorelin acetate (LA), to counteract or even suppress the 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-stimulated growth of androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells (LNCaP). Since the cellular mechanisms mediating this effect are not well defined, we investigated the activity of LA, also in combination with DHT or with cyproterone acetate (CA), on the expression of genes (bcl-2, bax, c-myc) which may contribute to the proliferative behaviour of LNCaP cells. In addition, experiments aimed to evaluate the action of the analogue on apoptosis were performed.

The intracoelomic route: a new approach for in utero human cord blood stem cell transplantation.

The intracoelomic route for in utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been evaluated in pre-immune fetal sheep and the engraftment characteristics defined. Twelve ovine fetuses (gestational ages: 40-45 days) received intracoelomic transplants of human CD3-depleted (50 x 10(6) per lamb) or CD34-selected (1-2 x 10(5) per lamb) cord blood hematopoietic stem cells. Engraftment was evaluated from cell suspension of the liver, spleen, bone marrow and thymus by flow cytometry, cloning assays and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for human beta(2)-microglobulin gene.

A novel route of transplantation of human cord blood stem cells in preimmune fetal sheep: the intracelomic cavity.

The intracelomic route for in utero hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was evaluated in preimmune fetal sheep and the engraftment characteristics were defined. Twelve twin ovine fetuses (gestational age: 40-45 days) received intracelomic transplants of human CD3-depleted (50 x 10(6) per lamb) or CD34-selected (1-2 x 10(5) per lamb) cord blood hematopoietic stem cells. Engraftment was evaluated from cell suspensions of the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and thymus by flow cytometry, cloning assays, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses of human beta2-microglobulin.

Regulation of prostate-specific antigen gene expression by an LH-RH analogue in human prostatic cells.

Background: We investigated the regulation of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene expression in prostatic tumor cells by an LH-RH analogue, Leuprorelin acetate (LH-RHa), alone or combined with dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Materials And Methods: PSA gene expression was evaluated by Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) in androgen-sensitive LNCaP and androgen-insensitive PC-3 cells.

Results: LH-RHa at both high and low concentrations induced a diminution in the levels of PSA gene expression which reached 70% in androgen-insensitive PC-3 cells.

Human milk contains S100B protein.

The present study constitutes the first finding of the calcium-binding protein S100B and of its mRNA in human milk, as revealed by a quantitative immunoluminometric assay, by Western blot analysis and by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay followed by restriction enzyme digestion. The concentration of S100B in milk is markedly higher than that observed in other biological fluids such as cord blood, peripheral blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and amniotic fluid. This finding could be related to a possible trophic role, which has been hypothesized for the protein.

Cyclooxygenase-2 and caspase 3 expression in trimethyltin-induced apoptosis in the mouse hippocampus.

The neurotoxicant trimethyltin (TMT) induces massive neuronal loss in vivo in the hippocampus of rodents, accompanied by behavioral alterations. The present study investigates the pattern of cell death after in vivo administration of TMT to adult mice. In the granular cell layer of the Dentate Gyrus, TUNEL staining detected DNA fragmentation, and apoptotic bodies were also evident.