Nationwide Real-World Data of Microsatellite Instability and/or Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Cancer: Prevalence and Testing Patterns.

Determination of microsatellite instability (MSI)/mismatch repair (MMR) status in cancer has several clinical implications. Our aim was to integrate MSI/MMR status from patients tested in Greece to assess the prevalence of MSI-high (MSI-H)/deficient MMR (dMMR) per tumor type, testing patterns over time and concordance between MSI and MMR status. We retrospectively recorded MSI/MMR testing data of patients with diverse tumor types performed in pathology and molecular diagnostics laboratories across Greece.

Comparison of the cyclic fatigue resistance of One Curve, F6 Skytaper, Protaper Next, and Hyflex CM endodontic files.

Objectives: This study compared the cyclic fatigue resistance of One Curve (C wire) and F6 Skytaper (conventional austenite nickel-titanium [NiTi]), and 2 instruments with thermo-mechanically treated NiTi: Protaper Next X2 (M wire) and Hyflex CM (CM wire).

Materials And Methods: Ten new instruments of each group (size: 0.25 mm, 6% taper in the 3 mm tip region) were tested using a rotary bending machine with a 60° curvature angle and a 5 mm curvature radius, at room temperature.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of new raloxifene analogues of improved antagonist activity and endometrial safety.

Raloxifene agonism of estrogen receptor (ER) in post-menopausal endometrium is not negligible. Based on a rational drug design workflow, we synthesized 14 analogues of raloxifene bearing a polar group in the aromatic ring of the basic side chain (BSC) and/or changes in the bulkiness of the BSC amino group. Analogues with a polar BSC aromatic ring and amino group substituents of increasing volume displayed increasing ER antagonism in Ishikawa cells.

[Natal and neonatal teeth: Update on current knowledge and treatments].

Being born with a tooth is indeed possible! Teeth may be present at birth (natal tooth) or they may appear within the 1st month of life (neonatal tooth). In their shape and composition, they look like physiological primary teeth. Of still unknown etiology, natal and neonatal teeth remain an uncommon phenomenon.

Can the response to a platinum-based therapy be predicted by the DNA repair status in non-small cell lung cancer?

Preclinical evidence has been accumulating on the impact of the DNA repair status on the sensitivity/resistance to anticancer agents in different tumor types, including lung cancer. The possibility to predict the response to therapy, and specifically to platinum agents, based on tumor specific DNA repair functionality would enable to tailor its use only in those patients with maximum chances to respond, avoiding the burden of toxicity in those ones with lesser chances. We here reviewed the clinical evidence on the prognostic role of DNA repair markers and/or functional assays in predicting the response to a platinum-based chemotherapy in lung cancer patients.

Oxybutynin as a treatment for generalized hyperhidrosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Hyperhidrosis is a disorder that can impair quality of life. Localized treatments may be cumbersome and ineffective, and no systemic treatments have proven to be significantly beneficial.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerance of low-dose oxybutynin for hyperhidrosis.

Theoretical analysis of an end-pumped Yb:YAG active mirror thin-disk amplifier with a longitudinal doping concentration gradient.

In this paper, we present a theoretical derivation of the amplification in a longitudinally pumped amplifier with a doping gradient concentration optimized for obtaining a constant longitudinal gain. This technique makes it possible to reduce both the effect of the amplification of the spontaneous emission (ASE) and the temperature gradient. We will express the longitudinal concentration profile as a function of the amplifier parameters and the launched pump intensity.

Distortion cancellation of frequency converted pulses with simple linear signal processing and application to frequency modulation to amplitude modulation conversion in high power lasers.

It is known that a linear filter may be easily compensated with its inverse transfer function. However, it was shown that this approach could also be valid even for such a complex nonlinear system as frequency conversion. As a matter of fact, it is possible to at least partly precompensate for distortions occurring within, or even downstream from, frequency conversion crystals with a simple linear optical filter set upstream.

[Incidence, risk factors and skin manifestations of post-thrombotic syndrome: a four-year follow-up of patients included in the EDITH study].

Purpose: Despite appropriate therapy 10 to 100% of patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limbs will develop post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of PTS in the EDITH cohort and to estimate the association between initial patients' characteristics and the risk of development of PTS.

Methods: One hundred and eighty patients included in the EDITH study for a first event of DVT of the lower limbs without clinical signs of venous insufficiency were recalled 4 years after their initial thrombotic event.

Simple analytical derivations of thermal lensing in longitudinally Q-CW pumped Yb:YAG.

In this paper, we introduce analytical derivations for the thermal lensing of an end-pumped laser disk. These derivations are done for pump beam shapes from Gaussian to top hat, assuming that the thermal conductivity is either constant with the temperature or not. We give examples in two temperature regions, where the thermal conductivity exhibits T(-1) or T(-2) dependence.

Nonsinusoidal phase modulations for high-power laser performance control: stimulated Brillouin scattering and FM-to-AM conversion.

High-power lasers, such as the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ), have to be phase modulated to avoid stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) that may strongly damage optics at the end of the laser chain. Current spectral broadening on LMJ is performed with a sinusoidal phase modulation. This pure sinusoidal phase modulation leads to inhomogeneous spectral power densities (SPD).

FM-to-AM conversion in high-power lasers.

FM-to-AM conversion is an important issue that could prevent fusion ignition with high-power lasers, such as the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ). We first overview the whole problem of FM-to-AM conversion in high-power lasers and we explain why AM spectral content of FM-to-AM conversion is important, although this information was not used in previous studies. We then propose simple analytical models to simulate FM-to-AM conversion in the LMJ frequency conversion system.

[Neonatal haemangiomatosis in identical twins with twin-twin transfusion syndrome].

Introduction: Benign natal haemangiomatosis is characterised by the presence of multiple congenital haemangiomas restricted to the skin. It is differentiated from diffuse neonatal haemangiomatosis in which there is both cutaneous and visceral involvement, with higher morbidity and mortality.

Patients And Methods: Two identical twins, I and II (monochorionic placenta, biamniotic), born prematurely at 30 weeks' amenorrhoea, presented twin-transfusion syndrome resulting in retarded intrauterine growth in twin I, the donor, and incipient anasarca in twin II, the recipient.

[Neutrophilic dermatosis associated with propylthiouracil-induced p-ANCA (p-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies)].

Introduction: We report on a patient who progressively developed polymorphic expressions of neutrophilic dermatosis (Sneddon-Wilkinson subcorneal pustulosis and pyoderma gangrenosum) associated with p-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCA), while receiving propylthiouracil for hyperthyroidism. To our knowledge, such associations have never been published so far.

Case-report: A 40 year-old woman was treated with propylthiouracil for Graves'disease.

Induction of the paraoxonase-1 gene expression by resveratrol.

Objective: The human paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is a high-density lipoprotein-associated enzyme, mainly secreted by the liver, that displays protective properties toward cardiovascular disease and organophosphate intoxication. Resveratrol is a polyphenolic phytoalexin found in grapes and wine and is thought to display cardioprotective effects. It is able to interact with transcriptional modulators such as the estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha).

Dietary polyphenols increase paraoxonase 1 gene expression by an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent mechanism.

Human paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) is a serum high-density lipoprotein-associated enzyme mainly secreted by the liver. It has endogenous and exogenous substrates and displays protective properties with respect to cardiovascular disease and organophosphate intoxication. In the HuH7 human hepatoma cell line, PON-1 activity and mRNA levels were increased by dietary polyphenolic compounds such as quercetin but also by toxic ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) such as 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC).

Opposite regulation of the human paraoxonase-1 gene PON-1 by fenofibrate and statins.

The human paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is a serum high-density lipoprotein-associated phosphotriesterase secreted mainly by the liver. This enzyme is able to hydrolyze toxic organophosphate xenobiotics, endogenous oxidized phospholipids, and homocysteine thiolactone. Physiologically, it is thought to protect against cardiovascular diseases.