Vanek's Tumour as a Rare Cause of Dyspeptic Syndrome in a Patient with Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Case Report.

Background: Inflammatory Fibroid Polyp (IFP), also known as Vanek's tumour, is a rare mesenchymal gastrointestinal tumour, potentially causing a wide range of clinical manifestations (even though it can be completely asymptomatic) primarily related to the location of the formation. The available evidence suggests a fundamentally non-neoplastic behaviour of IFP.

Case Presentation: A 67-year-old female was presented with persistent dyspepsia despite symptomatic therapy.

Identification of perineural invasion at imaging staging as a novel potential risk factor in rectal cancer: A case report.

Treatment of rectal cancer has improved over the years thanks to a multidisciplinary approach. A correct staging has a fundamental role for risk stratification and to define the best treatment for each patient. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of patients with locally advanced rectal cancers will experience tumor recurrence.

Ocular pharmacological and biochemical profiles of 6-thioguanine: a drug repurposing study.

Introduction: The purine analog 6-thioguanine (6TG), an old drug approved in the 60s to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML), was tested in the diabetic retinopathy (DR) experimental setting along with a molecular modeling approach.

Methods: A computational analysis was performed to investigate the interaction of 6TG with MC1R and MC5R. This was confirmed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) exposed to high glucose (25 mM) for 24 h.

Melanocortin 3,5 receptors immunohistochemical expression in colonic mucosa of inflammatory bowel disease patients: A matter of disease activity?

Background: Melanocortin 3 and 5 receptors ( MCR and MCR) belong to the melanocortin family. However, data regarding their role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are currently unavailable.

Aim: This study aims to ascertain their expression profiles in the colonic mucosa of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), aligning them with IBD disease endoscopic and histologic activity.

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events.

Background: Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Direct evidence that this risk extends to humans is lacking.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study involving patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease.

Presence of tumor deposits is a strong indicator of poor outcome in patients with stage III colorectal cancers undergoing radical surgery.

Background: Tumor deposits (TDs) are emerging as an adverse prognostic factor in colorectal cancers (CRCs). However, TDs are somewhat neglected in the current staging system. It has been proposed either to add the TD count to the number of metastatic lymph nodes or to consider TDs as distant metastases; however, the scientific basis for these proposals seems questionable.

Assessment of the DNA Mismatch Repair System Is Crucial in Colorectal Cancers Necessitating Adjuvant Treatment: A Propensity Score-Matched and Win Ratio Analysis.

A deficient DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system is identified in a non-negligible part of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRCs), and its prognostic value remains controversial. High tumor mutational burden, along with a poor response to conventional chemotherapy and excellent results from immunotherapy, are the main features of this subset. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of DNA MMR system status for its best treatment.

Biphasic Hormetic-like Effect of Lebecetin, a C-type Lectin of Snake Venom, on Formalin-induced Inflammation in Mice.

Background: Integrins, important extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor proteins, are affected by inflammation and can participate in the maintenance of many painful conditions. Although they are ubiquitous and changeable across all cell types, the roles of these cell adhesion molecules in pathological pain have not been fully explored.

Objective: We evaluated the effects of the subcutaneous injection of lebecetin, a C-type lectin isolated from snake venom, previously reported to inhibit α5β1 and αv integrin activity, on different components of inflammation induced by the formalin administration in the hind paw of mice.

Evidence of an anti-inflammatory effect of PCSK9 inhibitors within the human atherosclerotic plaque.

Background And Aims: Preclinical evidence suggests that proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors hold anti-inflammatory properties independently of their ability to lower LDL-cholesterol (C). However, whether PCSK9 inhibitors exert anti-inflammatory effects within the atherosclerotic plaque in humans is unknown. We explored the impact of PCSK9 inhibitors, used as monotherapy, compared with other lipid-lowering drugs (oLLD) on the expression of inflammatory markers within the plaque, assessing also the subsequent incidence of cardiovascular events.

Case report of unusual synchronous anal and rectal squamous cell carcinoma: clinical and therapeutic lesson.

Synchronous tumors of the rectum and anus are sporadic. Most cases in the literature are rectal adenocarcinomas with concomitant anal squamous cell carcinoma. To date, only two cases of concomitant squamous cell carcinomas of the rectum and anus are reported, and both were treated with up-front surgery and received abdominoperineal resection with colostomy.

The urotensin-II receptor: A marker for staging and steroid outcome prediction in ulcerative colitis.

Background: Urotensin-II receptor- (UTR) related pathway exerts a key-role in promoting inflammation. The aim was to assess the relationship between UTR expression and clinical, endoscopic and biochemical severity of ulcerative colitis (UC), exploring its predictivity of intravenous (iv) steroid administration therapeutic outcome.

Methods: One-hundred patients with first diagnosis of UC and 44 healthy subjects were enrolled.

Expression of c-MET in Estrogen Receptor Positive and HER2 Negative Resected Breast Cancer Correlated with a Poor Prognosis.

Introduction: The mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) receptor is overexpressed in about 14−54% of invasive breast cancers, but its prognostic value in clinical practice is still unclear. Methods: In order to investigate the relationship between c-MET expression levels and prognosis, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical features and outcomes of 105 women with estrogen receptor positive HER2 negative (ER+/HER2-) resected breast cancer. We used the Kaplan Meier method to estimate Disease Free Survival (DFS) and Breast Cancer Specific Survival (BCSS) in the subgroups of patients with high (≥50%) and low (<50%) c-MET expression.

A 60-Year-Old Woman with Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Crohn's Ileitis Following the Suspension of Ursodeoxycholic Acid.

BACKGROUND There is a recognized association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and hepatobiliary autoimmune disease, particularly primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). There have been fewer reported cases of IBD and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), which is treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). This report presents the case of a 60-year-old woman with PBC who was diagnosed with Crohn's ileitis after suspension of UDCA treatment.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) expression in diabetic and non-diabetic failing human cardiomyocytes.

This study aimed at investigating the SGLT2 expression in human cardiomyocytes. Human studies evaluating cardiomyocyte SGLT2s expression are limited. To better clarify this issue, SGLT2 protein expression was assessed in human hearts of diabetic and non-diabetic patients, and in AC16 human cardiomyocyte cell line.

Systemic Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Affects BDNF and Autophagy into the Retina of Diabetic Mice.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a neurovascular disease, characterized by a deficiency of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a regulator of autophagy. Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), previously reported as a protective agent in DR, has been associated with BDNF promotion. Here, we investigated whether systemic BHB affects the retinal levels of BDNF and local autophagy in diabetic mice with retinopathy; Methods: C57BL/6J mice were administered with intraperitoneal (i.

Giant retroperitoneal liposarcoma treated with radical conservative surgery: A case report and review of literature.

Background: Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) is a rare malignant tumor of the connective tissue and usually grows to a large size, undetected. Diagnosis is currently based on collective findings from clinical examinations and computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging, the latter of which show a fat density mass and possible surrounding organ involvement. Surgical resection is the main therapeutic strategy.

Glyoxalase 1 knockdown induces age-related β-cell dysfunction and glucose intolerance in mice.

Tight control of glycemia is a major treatment goal for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Clinical studies indicated that factors other than poor glycemic control may be important in fostering T2DM progression. Increased levels of methylglyoxal (MGO) associate with complications development, but its role in the early steps of T2DM pathogenesis has not been defined.

Microsatellite Status Detection in Gastrointestinal Cancers: PCR/NGS Is Mandatory in Negative/Patchy MMR Immunohistochemistry.

Background: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a predictive biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors. The main goal was to investigate the discordance between IHC and PCR/NGS for MSI testing in gastrointestinal cancers.

Methods: Two series were analyzed through IHC for mismatch-repair-system proteins (MMRP) and PCR, with one series of 444 colorectal cancers (CRC) and the other of 176 gastric cancers (GC).

Naples Prognostic Score Predicts Tumor Regression Grade in Resectable Gastric Cancer Treated with Preoperative Chemotherapy.

Despite recent progresses, locally advanced gastric cancer remains a daunting challenge to embrace. Perioperative chemotherapy and D2-gastrectomy depict multimodal treatment of gastric cancer in Europe, shows better results than curative surgery alone in terms of downstaging, micrometastases elimination, and improved long-term survival. Unfortunately, preoperative chemotherapy is useless in about 50% of cases of non-responder patients, in which no effect is registered.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter2 expression and inflammatory activity in diabetic atherosclerotic plaques: Effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter2 inhibitor treatment.

Objective: We evaluated sodium-glucose co-transporter2 (SGLT2) expression and the effect of SGLT2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) therapies on carotid plaques of asymptomatic diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Methods: Plaques were obtained from 296 non-diabetic patients and 227 patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing carotid endarterectomy. 97 patients with type 2 diabetes were treated with SGLT2 inhibitors for 16 ± 4 months before endarterectomy.

Metformin Therapy Effects on the Expression of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2, Leptin, and SIRT6 Levels in Pericoronary Fat Excised from Pre-Diabetic Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background And Purpose: pericoronary fat over-inflammation might lead to the development and destabilization of coronary plaque in patients with pre-diabetes (PDM). Notably, pericoronary fat could over-express the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) and leptin, along with decreased sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) expression in PDM vs. normoglycemic (NG) patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

MicroRNAs modulation and clinical outcomes at 1 year of follow-up in obese patients with pre-diabetes treated with metformin vs. placebo.

Backgrounds: Obese pre-diabetics over express cytokines that influence myocardial function via microRNAs (miRs) expression.

Objectives: To evaluate inflammatory/oxidative stress, miRs' expression and cardiovascular function in obese pre-diabetics assigned to metformin therapy vs. placebo vs.

N-palmitoyl-D-glucosamine, a Natural Monosaccharide-Based Glycolipid, Inhibits TLR4 and Prevents LPS-Induced Inflammation and Neuropathic Pain in Mice.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key receptors through which infectious and non-infectious challenges act with consequent activation of the inflammatory cascade that plays a critical function in various acute and chronic diseases, behaving as amplification and chronicization factors of the inflammatory response. Previous studies have shown that synthetic analogues of lipid A based on glucosamine with few chains of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, bind MD-2 and inhibit TLR4 receptors. These synthetic compounds showed antagonistic activity against TLR4 activation in vitro by LPS, but little or no activity in vivo.

Durable Complete Radiological Response to Nivolumab in Two Heavily Pretreated Western Elderly Patients With Metastatic Gastric Cancer: A Case Report.

The prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer remains overall poor despite some recent innovations and the development of new therapeutic approaches. Current European guidelines do not recommend any specific treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer refractory to two or more previous chemotherapy regimens, making this setting "orphan." Immunotherapy is quickly evolving also for this malignancy even if with controversial results and the correct patient selection is still debated, especially for Western patients.

Nivolumab in Heavily Pretreated Metastatic Gastric Cancer Patients: Real-Life Data from a Western Population.

Purpose: ATTRACTION-2 trial assessed the role of Nivolumab as a new standard treatment for Asian patients with pretreated metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Nivolumab in a real-life Western population, considering the lack of evidence to date.

Patients And Methods: Patients progressed after ≥2 chemotherapy regimens and able to receive Nivolumab (3 mg/kg q14) were eligible for the analysis.